President Muhammadu Buhari has described the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) as “a dot in a circle”, who have no where to go.
He also said the group is isolated in its call for secession.
The president stated this in an interview with Arise TV broadcast on Thursday.
Buhari said he has been assured by “the elderly people” and “the youths” from the south-south part of the country that region has no intention of seceding.
He said IPOB will not have “access to anywhere” even if they eventually secede from the country.
The president then reiterated his statement that IPOB members will treated in the “language that they understand”.
“I was encouraged by what I heard, nobody told me. Two statements from the south south: one by the elderly people, they said this time around there would be no (secession). And again the youth made the same statement; such encouragement,” Buhari said.
“So that IPOB is just like a dot in a circle. Even if they want to exit, they’ll have no access to anywhere. And the way they are spread all over the country, having businesses and properties. I don’t think IPOB knows what they are talking about.”
“In any case, we say we’ll talk to them in the language that they understand. We’ll organise the police and the military to pursue them.”
IPOB has been agitating for the secession of the south-east. They recently took up arms against the country, attacking security formations and public property.
