The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has refuted claims that it was behind the killing of people in some parts of the South-East to enforce compliance with its sit-at-home order on Monday.
SaharaReporters published on Monday that suspected IPOB members reportedly burnt a passenger alive in Nkwogu, Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State for flouting the sit-at-home order issued by the group.
Two of the vehicles, Hummer Buses, belonging to a popular transport company, Libra, were coming from Umuahia, Abia State capital when they ran into a group of hoodlums suspected to be members of IPOB.
It was gathered that they shot at the tyres, which forced the buses to stop. The passengers of the buses scampered to safety, while one of the drivers was reportedly shot in the hip.
The passenger could not escape before one of the buses was burnt.
It was also reported that there was heavy shooting around Banana junction along Orlu-Owerri Road as gunmen engaged security agents in a shoot-out.
Also, two persons were reportedly shot dead in Nnewi, Anambra State, for allegedly flouting the sit-at-home directive by the separatist group.
While reacting to these sad incidents, the Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, Emma Powerful who spoke to SaharaReporters, blamed Nigeria’s security agents for causing mayhem in the region.
Powerful added that the group did not force anyone to comply with the directive.
He accused the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) of deriving pleasure from killing South-East residents and labelling the volunteers of IPOB’s militant arm, Eastern Security Network (ESN) as responsible.
“IPOB never forced anyone to obey sit-at-home order issued by IPOB leadership because that was the dance we dance always. Those killings were done by Nigerian security forces disguised as ESN to implicate IPOB and ESN.
“They knew that was the only way to create confusion between IPOB and our people, but we are smarter than them. It has been long they were looking for ways for people to hate IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu (IPOB leader). We reiterate once again that IPOB members are not ready by whatsoever means to kill people. We are fighting to gain Biafra.
“We know that Nigerian Government and her partners in crime do not like Biafrans and their businesses in Nigeria. Our people must understand that DSS can kill them and blame it on ESN and IPOB.
“Everybody must realise that they are looking for different ways to implicate our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and ESN operatives while they allow Fulani terrorists to be rampaging the country. IPOB order for sit-at-home does not reflect the killing of our people on the sit-at-home day.
“Nigeria police and colleagues always derive joy in slaughtering innocent citizens and turning around to implicate IPOB and ESN,” Powerful said.
Also, one of Kanu’s disciples and former Radio Biafra broadcaster, Simon Ekpa on his Twitter page on Tuesday blamed Nigeria’s joint forces for the killings.
Ekpa also vowed that there would be no election in the South-East region of Nigeria, while blaming those who flouted the order for their misery.
The Finland-based disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the group, added that the sit-at-home would again be observed in the South-East next Monday.
“This is a picture from a video circulating on social media, some tag them ESN (Eastern Security Network). For the records, this is not ESN, rather the Nig security JTF, the same group who destroys properties, attacks fellow police and stations in the name of blackmailing IPOB. If you saw the video now you know.
“No election in Biafraland will be activated by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), starting from the Anambra election. The leaders in the SE don’t know what the electorate are ready to do. The struggle has entered AutoPilot. The Leaders from SE must learn from Northerners.
“The civil disobedience sit-at-home will continue next Monday the 16.8.2021. Those of you who didn’t listen to our warning about the plot by the Military to kill our people, we warned you not to come out to avoid being scapegoats for Nigeria Army criminals. Hopefully, you’ve learnt,” Ekpa tweeted.
