Unic Press UK: The Turkish government Sunday denied reports that it was supporting groups pursuing independence from Nigeria.
In a press release yesterday, Sunday, Turkish Embassy in Nigeria’s Capital City said:
“The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey wishes to inform the Nigerian public about the following: Abdülkadir Erkahraman, a Turkish citizen, has been sharing videos for some time against the Nigerian Government and presents himself as a Turkish diplomat. Mr. Abdülkadir Erkahraman is neither a diplomat nor a civil servant or an official representative of the Government of Turkey. The Government of Turkey is committed to the territorial integrity and political unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Furthermore, Turkey never supports secessionist activities against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Several video clips, which have been in circulation on various social media platforms, have gone viral, creating the impression that the Turkish national authorities were overtly in support of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). One of such videos involved one Abdülkadir Erkahraman, blasting the Nigerian government and President Buhari for persecuting, maiming and killing Biafrans, including members of IPOB.
Tensions seem to have escalated in the South East region, especially in Aba, the main commercial centre of Abia state, when news spread Sunday, the 10th September 2017, that the Nigerian army allegedly killed a member of IPOB. The BBC news Thursday, the 14th September, said: “three people shot in tense south-east Nigeria. Two people died and one was rushed to hospital.”
Several videos/images showing the Nigerian army brutalizing civilians seems to dominate the discourse among Nigerians on the social media, particularly YouTube, Facebook, Twitter. One of such videos did show men believed to be IPOB members lying with their face buried in a very dirty puddle. Unic Press UK has yet to fully verify the authenticity of any of the videos.
About IPOB
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are seeking a referendum on Biafra independence from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
IPOB claims to be the original inhabitants and the owners of the lands and communities of Biafra and Biafraland presently located in the South East region, some parts of South South region and some parts of the Middle Belt of Nigeria.
The group is led by Nnamdi Kanu, who holds dual citizenship being a Nigerian cum British national. Kanu is the director of Radio Biafra. He is facing a series of court cases in Nigeria, but currently on bail. His whereabouts have been unknown since the Nigerian military invaded his home on 14th September 2017.
