In a pointed response to recent positions expressed by U.S. Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV) on religious persecution in Nigeria, Comrade Emma Powerful, Spokesperson for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has argued that preserving Nigeria's territorial integrity does not equate to safeguarding Christians—and may in fact perpetuate their suffering.
Rep. Moore has been a vocal advocate in Washington, introducing resolutions condemning the persecution of Christians, supporting Nigeria's designation as a Country of Particular Concern, and highlighting the slaughter of tens of thousands since 2009 by groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani militants. He has emphasized U.S.-Nigeria security cooperation and urged stronger action to protect Christian communities.
Powerful respectfully challenges this approach, asserting that over six decades of Nigeria's centralized, British-crafted structure have coincided with recurring massacres, displacements, church attacks, and state-enabled impunity targeting Christians—particularly in Northern Nigeria, the Middle Belt, and parts of Yorubaland. He describes the crisis as rooted in a forced union of incompatible religious and civilizational frameworks, rather than a mere lack of security measures.
Dismissing claims that self-determination "emboldens terrorists" as influenced by lobbying rather than evidence, Powerful contends that terrorism thrives under centralized suppression of identity and autonomy, not from oppressed groups seeking safety. He cites Afghanistan's collapse despite extensive U.S. support as a cautionary example of failed forced stability.
Drawing historical parallels, he points to the Huguenots' survival through refuge in independent Protestant England, not through tolerance within Catholic France. Similarly, he argues, separation has historically provided sanctuary for persecuted minorities.
Powerful clarifies that IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's agitation seeks a peaceful, democratic referendum—aligned with international law—rather than violence or regional destabilization, contrary to portrayals by British and Nigerian interests. An independent Biafra, he posits, would serve as a secure homeland for Christians and others fleeing persecution, offering refuge and protection.
He notes that since IPOB's rise, routine mass killings of Igbos in Northern Nigeria have sharply declined, attributing this to effective deterrence through collective self-assertion where appeasement previously failed.
While acknowledging the value of counter-extremism cooperation, Powerful criticizes reliance on strategies that have failed for generations. He warns that rejecting peaceful constitutional separation while upholding a "demonstrably broken" state only prolongs persecution.
Ultimately, he maintains that an independent Biafra—much like Protestant England or Israel—would foster stability by providing persecuted peoples a sovereign safe haven, rather than threatening it. True concern for Christians and all Nigerians, he concludes, requires recognizing that forced unity has failed, while self-rule has historically delivered safety, dignity, and peace.
