Leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Force (NDPSF), Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, has claimed that Biafra “belongs to Ijaw” and not the Igbo people.
Dokubo stated this during an interview on Arise TV, adding that an Ijaw man, Frank Opigo, gave the name Biafra which was adopted by the Eastern Region and was used in 1967 when the Republic of Biafra was declared.
Ex-militant stated that the geographical area known today as Biafra belonged to the Ijaws, Ibibios and Orons and not the Igbos.
“Ijaw is Biafra. We’re the owners of the territorial area of Biafra with the Ibibios and Oron. In 1967, Eastern Ijaws were part of the Eastern Region and the Eastern Consultative Assembly was convoked in Enugu and Francis Opigo, an Ijaw man, suggested the name Biafra be adopted and it was adopted. Biafra has nothing to do with Igbo.
“Nobody can dismiss the geographical fact that the area known as Biafra is Ijaw. And on May 30, the Republic of Biafra was declared which included the Eastern Region within our territory, so Biafra has nothing with Igbo,” he said.
Dokubo said the late Ijaw revolutionary, Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro, mentioned it in his book, the 12-day Revolution, that he was Biafra long before the Republic of Biafra was created.
He added that he was so sure of the historical claim and challenged anyone with facts to dispute him.
