IPOB begs US not to sell Tucano attack plane to Nigeria

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has appealed to the Congress of the United States of America not to approve the sale of the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (also called A-29) attack aircraft to the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The group said the Nigerian government would deploy the plane to attack innocent Nigerians through aerial bombardment if it was sold to them.

The US State Department had earlier approved the sale of the plane, while the Department notified that the US Congress has 30 days to approve the sale, which comes with other packagesas: weapons, training, spare parts and facilities to support the program.

But IPOB in a press release signed by its spokespersons; Barrister Emma Nmezuand Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya said: “the aircraft will be used for aerial bombardment and mass-murder of Biafrans.

“Apart from the genocidal intents of the Nigerian government as the overarching reason for the procurement of the attack aircraft, the IPOB is appealing to the US Congress to deny approval of the sale of these attack aircraft because of three reasons, namely; Mis-use of Technical capabilities, Legal (violation of Leahy Law), and Commercial (procurement fraud).”

The group said the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (A-29) is a turboprop light attack aircraft which is designed to operate in extremely rugged terrain with aerial reconnaissance missions capability especially in low-threat environments.

It further stated that within three weeks of becoming the president of Nigeria on May 29, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari bombed Biafraland using a low-precision and less sophisticated attack aircraft with bombs that have Napalm as the warheads.

“In that genocidal act which occurred from June 17 to June 19, 2015, scores of Biafrans were roasted while others had their bodies mangled by the torrents of these bombs with Napalm warheads.

“With the A-29, there is no doubt that this government will wipe out the entire people of Biafra with ease in a matter of a few sorties. We wish to remind the US Congress that Nigeria is not among the “Fast Track” countries but a country indicted continually on human rights abuses,” the group said.