IPOB Raises Alarm Over Sharia Debate, Calls for Religious Freedom and Separate Biafra State
By Rimawaglobalnews Desk
February 27, 2026
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a strong statement expressing concern over ongoing debates surrounding the application of Sharia law in Nigeria, warning that the controversy highlights what it described as deep structural and religious divisions within the country.
In a press statement released on Thursday and signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group said recent reports, including those attributed to U.S. Congressman Riley Moore and former U.S. President Donald Trump, have drawn international attention to the religious and legal tensions associated with Sharia implementation.
IPOB stated that while it respects the right of Muslims to practice their religion, including the use of Sharia law within Muslim communities, it raised concerns over what it described as the alleged imposition of Sharia on non-Muslims. The group claimed that such developments could undermine religious freedom and equal protection under Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
The organization further alleged that Nigeria’s current state structure has failed to adequately protect citizens from religious persecution and discrimination, asserting that the country’s legal and governance system is deeply divided along religious lines.
Reaffirming its longstanding separatist position, IPOB reiterated its call for the creation of an independent Biafra nation, which it said would guarantee religious freedom, security, and equal rights for all citizens regardless of faith or ethnicity.
The group also called on the international community, including the United States Congress and other global institutions, to take what it described as the religious situation in Nigeria seriously and support efforts to ensure the protection of human rights and religious liberties.
IPOB has been a prominent voice advocating for the secession of southeastern Nigeria and the restoration of Biafra, a movement that continues to generate national and international debate over sovereignty, unity, and human rights.
