Shun British Army recruitment, IPOB warns Southeast youths

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged youths in the South-East region of Nigeria not to participate in the British army recruitment, warning that it is a deceptive plot to use and discard them.

The pro-Biafran group said the warning became imperative because many African soldiers who died in defense of Britain during World War I were never recognized, and those who survived were sent back to Africa without compensation, whereas their British and other counterparts were adequately compensated and recognized after the war.

In a statement on Saturday, IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, insisted that Biafrans should not allow themselves to be recruited to fight for a country that does not value them.

He stressed that Britain has a history of using Africans as sacrificial lambs in its wars and urged Biafran youths to avoid falling victim to this practice once again.

The statement read, “The family of IPOB led by its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, warns Biafran youths to shun the deceptive move by the British government to recruit them among the Commonwealth citizens to join their Army to fight their future wars.

“IPOB is calling on Biafran youths to avoid being used as sacrificial lambs by the British government, which has no respect for you or your lives. The British government has commenced the recruitment of Africans to fight their wars as they did decades ago.

“During WWI, the British and the European countries used Africans to fight their wars. By November 1918, the British Army in East Africa was mainly composed of African soldiers.

“One of the units was the West African Frontier Force, consisting of soldiers drawn from Nigeria, especially Igbos and South Easterners, others from Southern Nigeria, the Gold Coast (Ghana), and Sierra Leone. Another unit was called the King’s African Rifles, recruited from Kenya, Uganda, and Nyasaland (Malawi). Over 180,000 Africans served in the British Carrier Corps.

“Thousands of these African soldiers who died in defense of Britain were never recognized. At the same time, those of them who survived the war were sent back to Africa without compensation, whereas their British and other counterparts were adequately compensated and recognized after the war.”

It added that for Britain to become a superpower, thousands of Africans were used as sacrificial lambs.

“Similarly, during the 1939–1945 WWII, thousands of Africans were recruited and sacrificed for Britain to become a superpower. The ongoing plan to recruit Africans again, especially Biafrans, to be sacrificed for the colonial imperialists will not work.

“The people of Biafra will never be sacrificed for those who don’t recognize us as human beings. We can confidently understand that our fathers told us that they fought to save the United Kingdom during the Second World War but were abandoned by the British Government.

“IPOB is warning Biafrans to shun the ongoing British military recruitment. They don’t mind that they say it’s Commonwealth countries. They are targeting the Biafrans, and we must be very careful.

“If Britain can have a very strict visa policy for African immigrants, why then do they have a very relaxed and easy application to join the British Army?

“If Africans do not find it easy to migrate to Britain with a work visa, there are no bases to give Africans a flexible visa to join the British Army. Biafrans should not allow themselves to be slaughtered for a nation that doesn’t care about their freedom or existence.

“The British Government contributed to and spearheaded the Biafran genocide and the continuous subjugation of Biafrans in Nigeria.”

Powerful noted that IPOB will not allow Biafrans to be exploited by Britain for selfish gains and called on Biafran parents to advise their children against joining the British military recruitment.

He also urged Biafran youths to be wise and not join the army of their oppressors for citizenship or monetary rewards.

“IPOB will not allow Biafrans to be used again by Britain through the Commonwealth channels to recruit soldiers to fight against Russia or any other country. We, therefore, call on the Biafran parents to advise their children against joining the British military recruitment.

“Also, the Biafran youths should be wise not to join their oppressor’s Army for citizenship or monetary rewards. Do not be a sacrificial lamb for your oppressors,” the statement concluded.

Instead, the group encouraged youths to join hands with IPOB to restore Biafra, a nation they can be proud of. IPOB also demanded the release of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently detained in Nigeria.