Niger Delta strongman and leader of the now-defunct Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Asari Dokubo has given reasons why the name ‘Biafra’ belonged to the Ijaw speaking people of the South-South and not Igbos.

THE VENT REPUBLIC reports that Dokubo in an interview with Arise Television today Wednesday, the 28th of July 2021 revealed that the name ‘Biafra’ was a coinage by an Ijaw man and the movement was originally mooted by the Ijaws and not the Igbos now laying claim to it.

He further claimed Biafra has nothing to do with the Igbos.

In the words of Dokubo:

“The territory identified as Biafra is Ijaw. Maybe a little ibibios towards the end and Oron people.”

“The real Biafra, the name Biafra, the geographical location Biafra is Ijaw and a little Oron and a little bit Ibibio.”

“In 1967, the eastern Ijaws were part of the Eastern region. An Eastern consultative assembly was convoked in Enugu and Francis, an Ijaw man gave the name ‘Biafra’, moved the motion that Biafra should be adopted. Francis Opigo, and Biafra was adopted on the 30th of May 1967, the republic of Biafra was declared which included the eastern Ijaw within our territory.”

“So, Biafra has nothing to do with Igbos”

“The Biafran state that was declared in 1967 was not an Igbo state.”,