Boston, MA – At the World Igbo Congress Convention, Chief Gaius Chibueze delivered a passionate appeal to the Igbo diaspora to halt financial support for local terrorists Biafra agitators seeking to undermine Ala Igbo.
He warned that their activities have caused killings, kidnappings, arson, and the collapse of businesses across the region. “To make Ala Igbo great again, we must reject terrorism, lawlessness, and every force working against our homeland,” he declared.
Chibueze highlighted the dangerous shift in tactics by adversaries, stating, “The enemy have tried to to penetrate Ala-Igbo but fails, now they have succeeded using our people to destroy our home.” He linked the internal destruction to Biafra agitators, whose actions, often fueled by external influences, are worsening insecurity and hindering development. “Some parts of Igboland are now like Afghanistan,” he said, stressing the urgent need for collective action.
The warning comes amid growing instability in Nigeria’s South-East, where Biafra-linked groups have been linked to violence and displacement. Chibueze urged diaspora communities to stop sending money to social media agitators promisng to give them Biafra.
However, with the conviction of Simon Ekpa, self-styled successor to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, by a Finnish court. Ekpa was sentenced to six years for terrorism-related offenses, tax fraud, and inciting violence in Nigeria via online platforms. Though he denies the charges and is set to appeal, analysts say the case highlights rising international scrutiny of separatist funding networks.
It will be recalled that IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, currently in detention, created the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in 2020, originally presented as a community defense outfit. Today, however, ESN cells have splintered into violent armed groups accused of terrorizing civilians, enforcing illegal sit-at-home orders, and running criminal enterprises across Ala Igbo.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army announced the arrest of Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, also known as Gentle de Yahoo, a notorious ESN commander, in Imo State. Troops seized weapons, ammunition, police and military uniforms, stolen vehicle parts, and destroyed motorcycles used for criminal operations. Authorities described the operation as a “major blow” to IPOB/ESN’s network of kidnappings, arms trafficking, and impersonation schemes.
Chibueze’s message remains clear: the future of Ala Igbo depends on rejecting violence and building a secure, prosperous homeland through unity and development.
