Newly obtained United States Department of Justice documents have revealed how pro-Biafra groups influenced US policymakers to take a hard stance on Nigeria.
The filings show that former President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, in part, due to pressure from diaspora advocacy organisations.
US Senator Ted Cruz has amplified the claims, accusing the Nigerian government of enabling a massacre against Christians.
In a video shared on X, Cruz said no country in the world persecutes Christians more than Nigeria.
He cited several deaths and churches destroyed by Boko Haram and other extremists since 2009.
The documents trace the campaign to the United States of Biafra, a coalition that includes the Biafra Republic Government in Exile and the Biafra De Facto Government in the Homeland.
These groups are required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act because they aim to influence US policy.
According to the filings, the advocacy is carefully targeted at American audiences, especially conservative political groups aligned with Trump.
The narrative frames support for Biafra as a way to protect Christians and counter China’s influence in Africa.
The group’s international strategy is further revealed in a joint declaration signed in Lahti, Finland, on December 2, 2024.
The signatories accused Nigeria of a “genocidal onslaught” against Biafrans and Christians.
Among them was Simon Ekpa, a Finnish citizen and self-declared prime minister of the movement, who is currently serving a six-year prison sentence in Finland for terrorism-related offences and financial crimes.
Other signatories include Dr Ngozi Orabueze and Diane Emeh, both US citizens occupying key leadership positions.
The documents show the group operates more to build legitimacy abroad than within Nigeria itself.
The filings also detail the organisation’s internal governance and activities, including leadership of diaspora members, fundraising, humanitarian work, appointments, and public pronouncements.
After an internal vote conducted from February to November 2024, the movement declared the restoration of the United States of Biafra.
It claimed authority over forty confederating states.
Ekpa was named coordinator of the transition government.
Daily Trust reports that the Trump administration’s move to designate Nigeria as CPC came amid growing calls from US lawmakers and activist groups alleging that Nigeria has been failing to protect its Christian population.
The designation triggers enhanced scrutiny of Nigeria’s religious freedom record and signals potential diplomatic consequences, though it does not automatically impose sanctions.
The dispute intensified when US politicians and civil society actors highlighted ongoing violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern regions, including attacks on churches and mass killings.
But the government had denied the claims saying both Christians and Muslims have been killed by the bandits.
(Daily Trust)
