Mansur Dan – Ali, Nigeria’s Defence Minister has said that the pro – Biafra separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wanted to destabilize the country hence the proscription to nip their activities in the bud.

Speaking during an interview session with Channels TV on Thursday, the retired Brigadier – General stressed that a group that had established its own security forces could not be taken lightly by a government that seeks to protect national unity and security.

“The Defence Headquarters of the Armed Forces did their analysis and there are so many factors that indicated that this IPOB group is not a peace – loving group because they have gone beyond what is expected of a peaceful group.

“Why I say so? There are so many things they came up with. They mentioned that they are forming national guards; they have formed intelligence and what you called security forces.

“They had even gone beyond that to come up on social media to say that if their agitation is not met, they are going to bring down things across the country. So does any group that has peaceful intentions go to that extent?” he querried.

He added that the timely proscription of the activities of the group by the Ministry of Justice on behalf of the federal government was in the larger interest of public peace and security of the country.