IPOB, Yoruba Nation posed major threats in southeast, southwest in 2023 – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has said the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, posed a major threat in the southeast while Yoruba Nation agitators were a threat in the southwest in 2023.

DHQ said oil theft, cultism, and youth restiveness was experienced in the South-South.

The Director of Defence Media Operation, Major General Edward Buba, disclosed this during a briefing in Abuja.

Buba said most security threats in Nigeria were fuelled by the proliferation of small arms and influx of illegal arms and ammunition through the country’s porous borders.

According to Buba: “The major threat in the South-East (SE) and South-West (SW) was the secessionist agitations of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Yoruba Nation respectively.

“The South-South (SS) region continued to experience oil theft, cultism and youth restiveness. However, acts of criminalities such as kidnapping, armed robbery, communal clashes and cattle rustling were common across the 6 geopolitical zones.

“It is pertinent to point out that most security threats in the country were fuelled by the proliferation of small arms exacerbated by the influx of illegal arms and ammunition through our porous borders and the preponderance of local arms fabrication factories in the country.”