Presidency Cautions Yoruba Nation Group Against Fraternising With Proscribed IPOB

Deji Elumoye

The Presidency has advised the group known as Yoruba Nation, to be mindful of their relationship with the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, gave the warning Wednesday in reaction to the protest that both groups staged at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on Tuesday.

Shehu who noted that it was not unexpected for Nigerian diaspora groups to use the United Nations General Assembly to garner attention to their causes, however said it was shocking, to see “Yoruba Nation” advocates unequivocally throwing their lot in with Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The presidential spokesman while describing IPOB as a designated terrorist organisation, which regularly murders security services and innocent civilians, opined that without doubt, Nigerians and the entire world will judge Yoruba Nation by the company it keeps.

He said, “No one can take seriously this organisation if it continues its IPOB association. When their allies systematically trample human rights, it raises sober questions about their claims to uphold the values of the UN. The cooperation is a worrying development, once parsed with Yoruba Nation’s increasingly violent rallies in Nigeria. Actions and associations speak louder than words. Yoruba Nation’s talk of human rights promotion must therefore be ignored.”

Shehu further said that the Nigerian government will continue its work at the UN- to fight against corruption and illicit financial flows, and international cooperation.

He therefore urged the media to work with the government and focus attention on the core issues the President has during his trip to the United Nations.

His words: “If we want to see stolen funds returned to their rightful home in Nigeria, the government must continue to campaign for and coordinate global action on asset recovery. The government will remain the leading regional actor in the fight against global terror – particularly against threats emanating from the Sahel.
Through the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps programme, the country also shares technical expertise with countries from the Caribbean, Africa and the Pacific.

“At the same time, the administration is implementing a programme of environmental sustainability to combat developments which destroys Nigerian communities in vulnerable regions. Only through the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development can we secure a prosperous future for Nigeria. As the largest country in Africa, the government takes seriously its leadership role and will continue to strive for continental unity, cooperation, and shared prosperity”.