Enugu, September 18, 2025 – The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has criticised what it described as biased reporting by some Yoruba-owned media organisations and platforms, accusing them of deliberately portraying the separatist movement in a negative light.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB alleged that newspapers such as The Punch and The Nation, as well as BBC Pidgin and Google West Africa, often associate the group with insecurity in the South-East without presenting verifiable evidence.
The organisation said it was concerned that these outlets consistently “misrepresent IPOB and its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” while remaining silent on attacks by armed herders in various parts of Nigeria.
“From Gambari in Osun and Oyo States to parts of Kwara, Fulani militias have displaced communities. Yet these atrocities receive little attention, while IPOB is routinely linked to every incident in the East,” the statement claimed.
IPOB stressed that it has no conflict with the Yoruba people and respects their right to pursue self-determination but warned that continuous “misrepresentation” by the media could inflame unnecessary ethnic tension.
The group also urged Yoruba elders and opinion leaders to caution media practitioners against what it termed “reckless propaganda.”
Reiterating its position on Nigeria’s structure, IPOB said it remains committed to its push for self-determination and insisted that attempts to criminalise its activities will not deter the movement.
