IPOB Not Interested In Dialogue – Presidency

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, has revealed that the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has “clearly indicated” that it is not interested in dialogue.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Shehu said he was in support of the declaration of the group as a terrorist organization.

“We looked at this organisation, we analysed it, and it fits the description of a terrorist organization. If it fits the description of a terrorist organization, then it is a terrorist organization,” he said.

“It fits in and as Americans say, ‘If it walks like a duck, it moves like a duck, it looks like a duck, then it is a duck.’

“Therefore, that is it. That is their own description of it. So, the processes we are bound to follow since they are fully aware of the fact that from the point of view of the law, they cannot do what the law does not empower them to do.”

On attempts by the government to engage in dialogue with the group, Shehu said, “IPOB itself has clearly indicated that they are not interested in dialogue. You know that in the run-up of these processes, the governors of the states in the region had put up a forum, IPOB said, ‘No, thank you, we are not interested.’

“The Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria set up a delegation and they said, ‘IPOB we want to speak to you,’ and they said, ‘no, thank you.’

“Initially yes, it is clear that the leader had himself shut everyone out of the whole process,” he lamented.