IPOB partners Cameroonian militant group on training of fighters, exchange of firearms
The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has entered into an alliance with a separatist movement in Cameroon in the areas of training for combat operations and arms exchange.
Though the level of the collaboration is yet to manifest, findings show that people from the English-speaking part of Cameroon, the home to the agitators for Ambazonian state, have always had an easy passage into Nigeria because of common heritage with Nigerians from Cross River State.
According to Daily Trust, while IPOB, through the Eastern Security Network (ESN), is fighting Nigerian security forces to establish the Biafra republic in the South-East, the Ambazonian War of Liberation (AWL) and Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF) are pushing to break away from Cameroon.
There are concerns over a possible link between the rise in violent agitation for self-determination by IPOB militants and the connection they established in Cameroon.
The AWL leadership had on April 10, 2021, announced that they have established a relationship with IPOB towards pursuing a common goal of political and economic liberation.
A record of a Zoom meeting posted on social media showed the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu and the leader of AWL, Dr Lucas Cho Ayaba, indicating plans to work together in the struggles for their two regions.
Both Kanu and Ayaba are spearheading the insurrections from abroad.
“We are in the know of what is happening…We are closely monitoring,” a security source who does not want to be named, said.
“There is a link between them because the Ambazonian militants are offering training to IPOB members,” another source said.
An analysis by Foreign Policy showed that the two groups agreed to “work to secure their shared border and ensure an open exchange of weapons and personnel.”
