IPOB Reaches Out to Hausa, Northern Groups in Fresh Push for Biafra Referendum

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared solidarity with the Hausa people and other northern ethnic nationalities, insisting that their pursuit of political freedom and self-determination does not conflict with its campaign for an independent Biafran state.

The separatist group made its position known in a statement issued on Friday, October 16, 2026, by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, on the directive of its Directorate of State.

IPOB said its declaration followed what it described as a solidarity statement by northern youths and the Northern Nigeria Rescue Movement (NNRM). It welcomed the reported development, arguing that communities across Nigeria could cooperate on shared concerns, including insecurity, poverty, political marginalisation and the need for accountable governance.

However, the extent of support for the reported declaration among northern youths and the wider Hausa population has not been independently established.

The group, whose leader Nnamdi Kanu remains in detention, maintained that the quest for Biafran independence should not be interpreted as hostility towards the Hausa people or other ethnic nationalities.

“Onyendu’s message is clear, consistent, and universal: the pursuit of freedom for one people must never be interpreted as hatred for another,” Powerful said.

IPOB argued that the political aspirations of the Biafran people and the Hausa nation could coexist, insisting that one community should not be expected to surrender its identity or political interests for another to achieve its objectives.

“The freedom of Biafrans and the emancipation of the Hausa nation are not mutually exclusive aspirations. No people should have to remain subordinate for another people to be free,” the statement added.

The organisation also rejected what it described as attempts to portray Kanu and the Biafran movement as enemies of northern communities. It alleged that ethnic and religious divisions had been used to prevent Nigerians from recognising shared concerns about governance and economic hardship.

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According to IPOB, Kanu had repeatedly discussed the political aspirations of the Hausa people during broadcasts on Radio Biafra, including what the group described as the need for greater political agency, cultural confidence and historical dignity.

The organisation said ordinary Nigerians across different regions faced challenges that should not automatically be blamed on particular ethnic groups. It called for broader discussions about the political arrangements governing the country and whether they adequately reflect the interests of its diverse communities.

A central element of the statement was IPOB’s renewed demand for an internationally supervised referendum on self-determination. The group argued that ethnic nationalities should have a democratic opportunity to determine their political future, including consideration of regional autonomy, voluntary federations or other governance arrangements.

IPOB listed the Hausa, Kanuri, Tiv, Berom, Nupe, Igala, Jukun, Angas, Bachama, Idoma, Zuru, Ebira, Gbagyi, Tangale and Borgu communities among the groups whose aspirations it said deserved recognition.

The organisation maintained that the size of an ethnic group should not determine its political rights or its ability to influence decisions affecting its future.

“Population density does not dictate human dignity,” the statement said.

IPOB also cited the 2014 National Conference, convened under former President Goodluck Jonathan, arguing that its discussions on restructuring and regional autonomy could provide useful reference points for debates about Nigeria’s political future.

The group further invoked former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s criticism of governance structures inherited from colonial rule, saying African countries should develop political systems suited to their circumstances.

It urged other ethnic nationalities to participate in discussions about self-determination, political representation and constitutional restructuring, saying it was willing to work with communities pursuing what it described as freedom, peace and mutual respect.

“Freedom is the most precious gift Almighty God gave to humanity, and no human being or artificial colonial arrangement should deny any people that right,” the statement said.

The declaration comes amid continuing debate over Nigeria’s unity, separatist movements, regional autonomy and the country’s constitutional structure. IPOB has campaigned for the independence of Biafra, a proposed state associated principally with the South-East, while the Nigerian government has opposed the separatist campaign and proscribed the organisation.

Although IPOB has framed its latest statement as an appeal for solidarity among ethnic nationalities, its position does not establish that the Hausa people or other northern communities have collectively endorsed the group’s objectives. Further clarification from the NNRM and the northern groups reportedly involved would be needed to establish the precise terms of their declaration and whether any formal cooperation has been agreed.

For now, IPOB says its message is that the pursuit of Biafran independence should not be interpreted as opposition to the Hausa or other ethnic communities. It is calling for wider engagement on how Nigeria’s diverse nationalities can address their political concerns and determine their preferred future within or outside existing governance arrangements.