Chilota Dunu, a prominent member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has asserted that the group's goals have been misunderstood, emphasizing that the organization has fallen victim to a conspiracy involving politics and the elite.

Dunu expressed that the formation of the group stemmed from the aspiration to address the marginalization of people from the South East region within the country. He expressed regret that the infiltration of politicians had diluted the group's original objectives and conveyed misleading messages about its intentions.

He emphasized that the group should not be labeled as a terrorist organization and firmly stated that they have no intention of resorting to the use of dangerous weapons to achieve their goals.

In his statement, he remarked, "Rather than seeking a resolution to the concerns we have raised through our struggle, the group's members are being labeled as terrorists, which poses a threat to the nation's stability. It is important to recognize that raising voices against various forms of injustice is a legitimate right. Our fundamental demand has always been to receive fair treatment and be granted equal coexistence with other communities."

"We find it unjust that our state ranks the lowest among the states in Nigeria. Successive administrations have continuously made appointments without considering the principles of federal character. The distribution of projects is also uneven, and we believe we have the right to aspire to the highest office in the country, among other grievances.

"Now, more than 50 years have passed since the war ended, yet the promise of 'no victor, no vanquished' has not been honored.

"We have made the decision to express our dissatisfaction. Since these imbalances are not being addressed, we wish to pursue our own path. However, they have rejected this notion, refusing to let us leave and failing to rectify the mistreatment we have endured. This is the main point of contention."

According to Dunu, there are claims that certain armed criminals are operating in the area, creating chaos and taking innocent lives, with the intention of portraying IPOB as a violent group.

"I want to emphasize that IPOB is not a violent organization. We do not possess weapons and we are committed to avoiding any actions that would inflict harm on the very people we seek to liberate. It is mostly politicians who sponsor individuals responsible for the killings in the region.

"Their objective is to tarnish the reputation of IPOB. However, I want to assure you that we are unwavering in our pursuit of self-determination and will not be deterred."