IPOB: Biafra agitation has brainwashed Igbos - Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has responded to the Southeast's agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB.

According to Ngige, the separatist organisation has indoctrinated people in the Southeast into believing that Biafra will solve the region's unemployment and economic problems.

He, on the other hand, cautioned against such speculation, stating that the Nigerian government was striving to address the issues.

The minister spoke at an Association of Eze Ndigbo stakeholders gathering in the 19 Northern States and Abuja yesterday.

“People have been indoctrinated, and separatists have humped on that foundation to now proclaim from the rooftops that we will give you Biafra, and once we give you Biafra, all of these things will vanish,” Ngige added.

“There isn't a country on the planet that isn't plagued by issues. We have economic challenges in this country, which explains why there is unemployment and, of course, a large youth population.

“About 60% of them are young people, and many of them are unemployed.

“As a result, the administration is working on solutions. It's still in the works.”

Nnamdi Kanu's IPOB has been in the vanguard of the Biafra agitation.

The IPOB, led by Kanu, has focused its protests on the Nigerian government's failure to improve the economic well-being of the Southeast.

IPOB also focused its protests on the current Nigerian government's claimed marginalization of the region.