There’s a time in the life of a people when their physical survival; their dignity, fundamental human rights, and indeed the very essence of their being endowed on them by their creator and guaranteed under natural and international laws supersede all temporary comfort, and demand unreserved and unmitigated action in defense of these God-given rights. For the indigenous peoples of Biafra, that time is now.

Whereas the Nation of Biafra and her peoples, their land and property find themselves under physical, economic, political, sociological, and psychological subjugation by the State of Nigeria since 1967; a “state of occupation” of Biafra by Nigeria has existed and continues to exist. Unwilling to continue to live under such stifling servitude whilst suffering such indignities as are inappropriate for human beings, the people of the Federation of Biafra are determined to exercise their natural and legal rights to Freedom and Liberty. In reaffirming Liberty and Freedom for Biafra, the Peoples and Nation of Biafra make neither war, nor peace with the State or peoples of Nigeria. Rather we exercise a Natural human right, a political right and a right supported by the United Nations Organization Charter and international laws – the right of Self-Determination. The indigenous peoples of Biafra are taking this action in certain realization that only the effective exercise of Self- Determination by the indigenous peoples and Nation of Biafra will end the state of occupation, subjugation, and persecution by Nigeria.

The indigenous peoples and Nation of Biafra appeal to all Governments, Peoples, States, Nations, Organizations and Individuals worldwide to support the long-persecuted peoples of Biafra in their demand for a PLEBISCITE to settle their long-standing struggle for Freedom, Liberty and Self-Determination.

BACKGROUND

This exercise of self-determination is a direct expression of the will of the people of Biafra. It is an ongoing process that began since 1966 after a genocidal pogrom and ethnic cleansing exercise directed against all the peoples of then Eastern Nigerian, culminating in the declaration of the sovereign state of Biafra in 1967 when Biafra was forced to separate from Nigeria. Nigeria immediately declared war on Biafra, blockaded her by land, sea and air and starved three million children to death. When, following the end of the war in 1970, Nigeria resorted back to the same mistreatment of Biafrans that led to the declaration of Biafra in the first place, the will of the people of Biafra to leave Nigeria for good only hardened. Since 1970, Biafra has tried acquiescence to accommodate and be accommodated by Nigeria in the illusory thinking that this would bring reprieve from Nigeria’s harsh treatment, and persecution, and maintain peace. However, Nigeria remained relentless in its vindictive policies against the people of Biafra, and in its total suppression and denial of the basic human rights of Biafrans. This is in spite of the fact that Biafrans tried harder than any other groups to integrate themselves into the Nigerian citizenry and polity, but all to no avail.

In response to this ongoing dehumanization and rejection of Biafrans by Nigeria, several non-violent self-determination movements for Biafra Actualization were formed since 1999. The distinguishing characteristic of these organizations is the strict adherence to non-violence, in the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. These movements have sought dialogue with the Nigerian government, but have instead been answered with unjustified detention and jailing without charge, extrajudicial murder of its membership, constant harassment, and destruction of membership and organizational property by Nigerian Army, Paramilitary Police and security agents. The people of Biafra have had enough and all the pro-Biafran movements and the entire population of Biafra have resolved to reestablish the Sovereign Independent Republic of Biafra. 

Self-determination for the Indigenous People of Biafra:

Biafra, a nation of some 70 million people, has for almost 50 years suffered incessant and unrelenting oppression, exploitation, humiliation, dehumanization, and genocide at the hands of Nigeria in a calculated and deliberate agenda to permanently and perpetually subjugate the people and obliterate their culture. 

Self-determination in any form is a right recognized by and accepted in International law and many other International and regional instruments.

Biafra has a population of over 70 million people, and

1. a common historical tradition dating to times prior to European colonization,
2. a racial and ethnic identity well distinguishable from the rest of Nigeria,
3. cultural homogeneity which distinguishes its people apart from the rest of Nigeria,
4. linguistic unity, with several languages, and a lingua franca,
5. religious affinity, the dominant religion being Christianity,
6. ideological affinity,
7. distinct, contiguous territoriality, and
8. a common sociopolitical and economic life.

In addition, the population as a whole, naturally sees and considers itself as a people bound by common ancestry, sociopolitical ties and destiny; hence, the people exhibit the will and consciousness of being a people. 

The primary reason driving the self-determination form and effort of the indigenous people of Biafra is the imperative to provide the traditional existential human needs of freedom, liberty, survival, and prosperity of our people. Yet, the reason for self-determination for Biafra goes well beyond these fundamental human needs; the aforementioned structure of Nigeria, put together by its colonial master and inherited as such, is a forced amalgamation of peoples and nations who were never suited, and are still not suited to be lumped together as one nation in the first place. The architect of the amalgamation, the British Lord Lugard, stated more than 100 years ago, that such a “union” would never work—that “Easterners (Biafrans) and Northerners were like oil and water and would never mix.” He was right then. He is still right at this time. The problem is that Nigeria is pretending to make it work, using all manner of force and intimidation, buoyed by the support of other self-interested parties who benefit from the ongoing resultant dysfunctional and pathologic status of the state of Nigeria.

Security of Person:

Biafrans are killed on a daily basis all over Nigeria, including occupied Biafra. Most times, it is extrajudicial killing by the Nigerian Army, Paramilitary Police, Nigeria Armed Security Agencies, Nigeria’s Secret Death Squads, and Hausa-Fulani mercenaries masquerading as “Fulani herdsmen”. Even when such is admitted by the State of Nigeria’s killing machinery, there is no inquest, no accountability, no explanation, no apologies, no proper trials, no convictions, no remorse, and no compensation.   

Christian Biafrans are also targeted and killed en masse, in carefully orchestrated “riots” in Fundamentalist Islamic Northern Nigeria, with a frightening cycle and staggering toll. In more than 75 such carefully organized attacks it is estimated that more than two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) people have been killed. For each death of a Biafran resulting from the above, at least ten times have been injured, maimed, displaced and/or are unaccounted for.

Although this atrocious activity qualifies as Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing, the international community has yet to react.  

Security of Property:

There is no respect for the property or property-rights of the Biafran. The Nigerian Police routinely destroys the homes and property of Biafrans especially those identified as working for self-determination. In Onitsha the Nigeria Army used helicopter gunships to bomb private homes that innocent Biafran civilians labored so hard to build.

In Lagos, the government razed business stalls and markets built and maintained by Biafrans living in that city, without reason, without compensation, and threatened to burn down more such structures.

In Fundamentalist Islamic Northern Nigeria, during the aforementioned rampages, Northern civilians and security agents would selectively target, loot, burn and destroy the business and personal property of Biafrans residing in Northern Nigeria, as well as Christian Churches where Biafrans worship. More than three hundred Churches have been burned in Northern Nigerian in the past twenty years alone. A foreigner living in Northern Nigeria once remarked: “The killing of the Igbo (Biafrans) has become an industry in Northern Nigeria.” Over one million Biafrans have been forced to flee from Northern Nigeria and relocate to Biafra and other parts of Africa. It is obvious that Biafrans are not welcome in a country in which they are supposed to be citizens.

Genocide and Ethnic cleansing.

The first massive state-organized and state-directed Pogrom, Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing directed against Biafrans (the people of Eastern Nigerian at that time) by Nigeria occurred in 1966, in Northern Nigeria especially, but also in Western Nigeria. The massacre of Biafrans has continued to date. More than 300,000 Biafrans have been killed by Nigerians since 1980.  Not only has the State of Nigeria participated directly in this crime against humanity, it has also maintained an enabling environment which facilitates and encourages Nigerians and State governments to kill and maim Biafrans at will, destroy the property of Biafrans and uproot Biafrans wherever they may be found in Nigeria. By making no efforts at all to investigate and bring to justice individual and corporate offenders in these crimes, the State of Nigeria has proved that it places no value on the life and property of Biafrans living in Nigeria; worse still, the State of Nigeria has proven that it has a vested interest in the destruction of Biafrans.

Economic Security:

The government of Nigeria has banned or blocked or stifled legitimate economic activities in which there is a preponderance of Biafran owners. Government orchestrated stifling of economic activity in Biafra has resulted in very high incidence of unemployment among the youths and other people of working age.

One of the worst acts of economic injustice ever seen is the blatant refusal of the government of Nigeria to allow the peoples of Biafra access to the finances accruing from the sale of Petroleum and Natural Gas derived from their private ancestral land. The leadership of the Nigerian State has used the money derived from Biafra to develop Abuja, Lagos and other parts of Northern and Western Nigeria and to set up billion-dollar personal fortunes in banks in Europe, America, The Middle East, Caribbean, and the other parts of the world while leaving the people of Biafra (Eastern Region) from where the Oil money is derived to live in poverty, penury, and squalor and die slow miserable deaths. Authoritative reports of $4 billion stolen between December 2004 and April 2007; $3 billion stolen by the NNPC and a Nigerian President; $2 billion dollars disappearing between the United Kingdom and Bermuda are common news items in Nigeria. A highly placed Nigerian government official stated that the rulers of Nigeria have stolen over $800 billion dollars since 1970. 

Environmental Security:

The most obvious and salient example of environmental terrorism directed against the People of Biafra by the State of Nigeria relates to oil exploration in the Niger Delta region of Biafra. With total disregard for the environment and for the people who live in the area, the Nigerian State has failed to make even minimal effort to combat what otherwise would have been manageable ecological fallout from oil exploration. Streams and rivers have been badly polluted; drinking water and marine life have been devastated. Gas flaring has caused acid rain, birth defects and even mental illnesses in the inhabitants of the Niger Delta. The Nigerian government does not care and does not want to know. All it wants is to steal the billions of dollars derived from the oil and walk away leaving the people to their misery.  

Political Security - Democracy.

For Biafrans the right to express their collective and individual political will using the ballot system has traditionally been just as primal as the basic individual right of being. Biafrans put utmost premium in their ability to elect their own leaders, to hold them accountable and to remove them if they fail to perform the functions for which they were elected. Since the amalgamation of the peoples of Biafra with Nigeria this very important aspect of Biafran culture has been truncated time and time again. Biafrans have a long history of democracy dating thousands of years; the peoples of Western Nigeria have a long history of monarchy dating thousands of years and the peoples of Northern Nigeria have a long history of feudalism dating thousands of years. It has been impossible to melt these three distinct cultures into one. The April 2007 elections in Nigeria adjudged by national and international election monitors to be the worst election in the history of the world informs unbiased observers of the terrible tyranny that Biafrans have been forced to bear in their association with Nigeria. The situation remains the same today. Biafrans usually are the ones most victimized. Governors, senators, and representatives handpicked by the Hausa-Fulani Yoruba Oligarchs are routinely foisted on the different communities in Biafra. The result is that such “leaders” owe their allegiance to the Oligarchs in Abuja and are never accountable to the Biafran communities they are supposed to serve.  

Freedom of Religion:

The population of Biafra is about 95% Christian. However, the Muslim Northern domination of power affords them the means and opportunity to run Nigeria as primarily a Muslim nation. Nigeria was registered as a member of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), in the 1980’s, without consulting with,

and without the consent of the Christians of Nigeria. Recently, the Nigerian state allowed Fundamentalist Islamic Sharia law to be introduced in thirteen of the nineteen states in Northern Nigeria and three of the six states in Western Nigeria. The Fundamental Islamic Sharia law is now applied equally to both Muslims and Christians, despite strong protests from Christian Biafrans. Since Biafrans (who are non-Muslim) have the biggest non-Muslim presence in Northern Nigeria, it does not take much to discern who as a group would be found without religious rights and treated as such in Northern Nigeria. The State of Nigeria looks the other way while government institutions such as the police and the courts are used to impose Fundamentalist Islamic Sharia law on Christian Biafrans living in Northern Nigeria. Several Moslem Nigerian leaders from Northern and Western Nigeria have declared openly that they will Islamize Christian Biafrans by force. Before he became president of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari stated openly and publicly that he will Islamize Nigeria. As a special guest at the National Convention of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN) in 2001, he stated “I will continue to show openly and inside me, the total commitment to Sharia movement that is sweeping all over Nigeria, God willing, we will not stop the agitation for the total implementation of the Sharia in this country”.  Christian Biafran children have been abducted and forcibly converted to Islam or married off against their will to Islamic fundamentalists (e.g. 13-year-old Victor Udo Usen kidnapped in Sokoto in 2006). Christian Biafrans have been murdered by beheading them for preaching the gospel (e.g. Mrs Bridget Agbahime was beheaded in Kano on 2^nd June 2016 accused of blasphemy). The people of Biafra thus feel trapped by the State of Nigeria, encaged on purpose and left helpless readied for easy victimization and forced Islamization by determined Islamic Fundamentalists bent on swallowing up everything in their path.

The Primary Function of Government:

The primary function of government is the protection of its citizens and their property. Whenever a government which is meant to protect the people turns around and persecutes and destroys a people and their culture; the people it was meant to protect; the people reserve the right to take steps to establish a different political and administrative arrangement that will guarantee the safety and security of their lives and property. This is the case for Biafra.

Since 1970, our people have never witnessed a democratic government in Nigeria; a government that they can call their own; a government that pays attention to their needs; a government that is controlled by them; a government that is accountable to them. The Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 despite being at war with Nigeria and being a military administration still managed to run a democratic government. The Head of State of Biafra, General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu stated clearly then: “There will be no dictatorship here.” General Ojukwu speaking on behalf of other leaders of Biafra then (Dr. M.I. Okpara, Dr. Akanu Ibiam, M.T. Mbu, N.U. Akpan, Eyo Bassey Ndem, I. S. Kogbara, etc) said that because he knew that the people of Biafra – Annang, Efik, Ibibio, Igbo, Ijaw, Ogoja, and even the Itsekiri, Esan, Isoko, and Urhobo have a long-standing belief in genuine, and true, democracy and an age-old tradition of democratic practice. This is why in Town Unions, Social Clubs and even in family meetings in Umunna, Umunne and Ikwu leaders are chosen by the process of open and transparent election. That is our belief; that is our value; that is our tradition; and that is our practice.

The Hausa Fulani, Yoruba and the Sokoto Caliphate who rule Nigeria have never believed in, valued or practiced democracy. They have always practiced dictatorship. This is why it has been impossible to successfully organize a transparent democratic election in Nigeria. This is why they cannot organize a census in Nigeria. This is why there is all the corruption, oppression, robbery, embezzlement, stealing, political thuggery, arson, kidnappings, killing of political opponents, and disastrous failure of government to initiate and complete meaningful development projects in Nigeria. Dictatorship as is practiced in Nigeria is a form of government practiced in the dark ages in Europe. It achieves nothing except destroy the people on whom it is imposed. Dictatorship almost destroyed Europe. And Europeans quickly overthrew and destroyed all their dictators and set up democracies.

Government in Biafra:

In Biafra, government is based on the principles of Freedom, Liberty, Justice, Security, Prosperity and the legitimate pursuit of happiness. In Biafra government belongs to the people. The goal of government will be to protect the people from harm, tyranny, and persecution; enable the people to control their lives, land, resources, property and destiny; enable the people to freely exercise their freedom of speech, association, religion, trade and commerce, and their individual human rights; create opportunity to maximize their potential and opportunity to be prosperous; and to legitimately pursue avenues for living a good life and enjoying happiness. A guide to the organization of Biafra Society and Government can be found in the “Biafra Charter” which will be made more widely available via the Internet.

Security:

In Biafra every town, autonomous community, and city will have its own police force to protect the people. The police will be recruited from among the residents of the community, town or city. The police will be paid by the people who will also exercise oversight over their activities and supervise their work. If any police officer offends the law he or she will be disciplined, removed or if the situation warrants charged to court and possibly imprisoned. The provincial government will also maintain a police force that will be paid from the funds provided by residents of the province. This police force will patrol the highways and waterways and guarantee safety of the residents of the province. Because the police come from within the towns and cities they know the customs and traditions of the people and the people know them very well. Therefore, they cannot terrorize the people or brutalize them as the people will immediately take steps to punish them for any misbehavior. Bribery and corruption among the police will end and the police will do their work normally like human beings. Never again will illiterate sergeant Abubakar or corporal Nabaida shoot and kill Mich Okeke, Chris Ekpenyong, Monday Peterside, Titi Sagay, Tony Cookey, or Amechi Okowa because they refused to give them bribe. Never again.

Education:

Education is the engine that drives development in every part of the world. If a nation’s education system is poor that nation will remain poor, if her education system is strong and powerful that nation will be rich and powerful. Biafrans believe that brain power fuels all dynamic and progressive societies and universities are the principal source of intellectual energy and strength. This is why governments in Biafra will accord pride of place to education as was the case in Biafra before 1970.  In Biafra every community, town and city will build and run their own schools and colleges. Every community will have its own school board to oversee the running of its primary and secondary school. The board will recruit teachers based purely on their merit, skill and talent. They will pay the teachers from the money provided by the community, town or city. They will supervise the teachers and ensure that they maintain the highest standard of education. Teachers who are not capable or are intellectually or morally incompetent will be removed by the school board. Thus communities will have the responsibility to make their schools superior and if they fail will take responsibility for giving their children inferior education and thus denying them the opportunity to compete effectively in the world. The Federal Government of Biafra, Provincial governments, and competent organizations will establish universities whose standards will be equivalent to or higher than those in the most advanced countries in the world.

Resource Control and Management:

In Biafra, every community will exercise full control over the resources in its territory: mineral deposits, cash crops, water resources, and intellectual resources. The silly concept of “revenue sharing or revenue allocation” will cease to exist as every community will generate and manage its own revenue. Communities that have oil deposits will extract their oil, market it and use the money to develop their community. Those who have gas deposits will do the same. The same thing will apply to those who have coal, columbite, gold, limestone, zinc, silica, and other minerals. Those who have oil palm, raffia palm, rubber, cocoa, timber, cola nut, cashew will do the same. Those whose environments are suited to the production of rice, cassava, corn, yams, and groundnuts will do the same. Those whose environments are suited to fishing, raising of cattle, goats and sheep will do the same. And of course, those whose environments are most suited to the production of electricity will produce same, market it, and use the proceeds to develop their communities. Same will apply to the communities with an abundance of intellectual resources. Each community will pay an agreed tax to the Federal Government of Biafra to enable the government provide services that will be clearly specified in the constitution of the Republic of Biafra.                                             

The Civil Service:

The civil service in Biafra will be one of the most efficient in the whole world. You will be able to register a new business, limited liability company, small business, NGO, or similar things in no more than twenty-four hours. Containers arriving at our ports from overseas will never take more than forty-eight hours to clear and leave the port, vehicle registrations, driver’s licenses, passports, etc,will not take more than four hours to process in person or two weeks by post. The heinous sin of giving bribe to get these things which people are really entitled to, will disappear. Civil servants will actually become the servants of the people; they will serve the people with respect and dignity. Customs officers will only be stationed at the airports, seaports, and highways entering Biafra from other countries. Never again will customs officers get into the markets in our towns and cities to harass traders and businessmen; never again will some stupid public official get into our markets and close the market depriving innocent businessmen and women of the means to their livelihood for months on end. It is an abomination. The only people who will ever use sirens to move about town will be firefighters, police, medical ambulances, and the Head of State.

In Biafra, merit, ability and demonstrated talent will be the criteria for getting jobs. The most talented and skilled engineers will get engineering jobs and contracts, the most talented and skilled teachers will get the teaching jobs, the most talented and skilled doctors will get the best medical jobs, and the best pharmacists will run our pharmacies. Specialist hospitals built and equipped by Federal and Provincial governments will be run by hospital management boards. Under no circumstances will public officials be allowed to go overseas for medical treatment. Whatever hospital facilities are available for the people will also be used by political leaders including the president or prime minister. This will force public officials to ensure that we have the best medical facilities for our people.

In Biafra the best brains, the most talented, those with the highest merit will serve the people. The reason is simple. Biafra knows that a nation that enthrones mediocrity at the expense of excellence lays a solid foundation for its collapse. If you doubt it look at Nigeria.  In Biafra, government is of the people for the people by the people. The people will run their government; they will govern themselves and will never allow anybody to terrorize them.

United Nations Charter On Self-Determination

This document solicits for the support of the international community as represented in the United Nations’ system towards the full restoration of Biafra’s independence and sovereignty which was forcefully violated and unjustly truncated by Nigeria in 1967. This support should be given via an internationally supervised referendum.

The legal basis and justification for such a support culminating in the envisaged referendum should be derived from one of the foundational principles of the United Nations’ regime - the principle of the right to self-determination which became legal for all peoples in 1976 when the international Covenants on Human Rights entered into force and for the fact that Nigeria has systematically continued to discriminate, marginalize and oppress the indigenous Peoples of Biafra since they were forcefully incorporated into Nigeria in 1970 in addition to the fact that the injustices and atrocities that led to the declaration of the independent state of Biafra and the subsequent civil war that ended in 1970 have incrementally continued unabated till date.

The principle of self-determination is embodied in Article I of the Charter of the United Nations,(1) and reiterated in Article 55 of the UN Charter. Its inclusion in the UN Charter marks its universal recognition as fundamental to the maintenance of friendly relations and peace among states. It is recognized as a right of all peoples in the first article common to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which both entered into force in 1976. Article 1 Paragraph 1 of these two Covenants provides that; ‘All peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development....’

Notably, States Parties to these Covenants agreed to promote the realisation of the right of self-determination and shall respect the right in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations'. As it stands, Nigeria has flagrantly failed to uphold its commitment and obligations when it acceded to these international instruments.

Furthermore, under the 1970 UN General Assembly Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations(2) the requirement that States need be representative of all the people in their territories irrespective of ‘race, creed or colour’ was introduced. This means that for the first time, the State’s right to territorial integrity is no longer sacrosanct as it became conditioned on the equal treatment and democratic representation of the whole people belonging to the territory without distinction. The Declaration states inter alia that ´by virtue of the principle on equal rights and self-determination of peoples enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, all people have the right freely to determine....their political status´ while all states are under the duty to respect this right in accordance with the Charter.(3) Thus, the Declaration further expanded the meaning of self-determination to include a process that allows all sections of the people of a state to be represented in the political process, or to freely participate in the internal arrangements on the basis of equality. By operating a constitutional document never written by the people, an arrangement clearly skewed against the indigenous peoples of Biafra, and by persistent institutionalised discrimination, marginalisation and oppressive conducts, the Nigeria state has clearly failed to extend equal treatment to the indigenous peoples of Biafra and as such, in accordance with the provision of the UN 1970 Declaration on Friendly Relations should lose its claim to non-intervention and territorial integrity. We appeal to all governments and international community to take practical steps towards ensuring that justice is done to the people of Biafra and allow them their rights to self-determination through a PLESBISCITE.

(1). Article I (2) of the Charter of the United Nations.

(2). Declaration on the Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations and Co-operation Among States in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, UNGA Res 2625 (XXV) (24 October 1970). UN Doc A/8028

(3). Ibid