The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused the Nigerian government of deliberately using Igbo soldiers as expendable assets in the ongoing military campaign against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in Northern Nigeria.
In a strongly worded statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the separatist group warned Igbo youths against participating in the latest Nigerian Army recruitment exercise, describing it as a “death trap” for recruits from the Southeast.
According to IPOB, recent videos and reports have shown soldiers—many allegedly from Igbo communities—complaining about poor welfare, inadequate equipment, and a lack of support from military leadership. “The Nigerian Army continues to recruit large numbers every year, not out of national interest, but because soldiers are dying in droves or resigning due to poor morale,” the statement claimed.
The group alleged that many Igbo soldiers who joined the army in recent years have either died in mysterious circumstances or disappeared entirely. IPOB further accused the federal government of using military operations for political ends and claimed the military’s growing recruitment drive is tied to clandestine international interests, particularly efforts by ECOWAS to intervene in Sahel conflicts, potentially on behalf of Western powers.
“Any Igbo youth who enlists will either be handed over to Northern terrorists, killed in battle, or come back maimed and abandoned,” IPOB warned. “Do not allow yourselves to be used in a war that is not yours.”
The group also criticized the alleged marginalization of minority ethnic groups within the military structure, asserting that high-performing Igbo soldiers are often viewed with suspicion or hostility by the state.
Instead of joining the military, IPOB encouraged young people in the Southeast to return to their communities and invest in agriculture and local industries. “Return to your village and farm. That is a better fate than returning home in disgrace — or not returning at all,” the statement concluded.
The Nigerian Army recently opened applications for new recruits as part of efforts to bolster its ranks in the face of worsening insecurity nationwide. The ongoing tension between IPOB and the Nigerian government continues to highlight deeper questions surrounding national identity, ethnic equity, and the military’s role in Nigeria’s internal conflicts.
The Nigerian government has designated IPOB as a terrorist organization. IPOB denies this designation and maintains that it is a peaceful movement advocating for Biafran independence.
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