The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised an alarm over what it described as “hoodlums” working for “our enemies” to make the South-east unsafe and blame the group for it.
IPOB, in a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, on Thursday, called on people in the region to join hands with it to flush out “killers” from the region.
The proscribed group stated that its sit-at-home directive on October 1, still stands, but added that the operatives of its militia wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), will go after gunmen killing South-east residents, in the name of enforcing the exercise.
It alleged that those behind the killing of former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Obadiah Malaifa, for speaking against murderous Fulani militia, have also started killing people in the south.
IPOB further alleged that the killers of Chike Akunyili, husband of late ex-minister, Dora, in Anambra State, have the backing of the Nigerian government.
The group stated that the killers are planning to go on rampage on Friday, when the country will be celebrating its 61 independence anniversary.
“Following the sit-at-home order on October 1st, 2021, we the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to place every resident of Biafra on red alert over plots by the enemies to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens under the guise of enforcing the sit-at-home order”, Powerful said.
“Our volunteers and security operatives should be on alert in every part of Biafra land. We realise that some hoodlums working for our enemies would want to capitalise on this order and attack people and turn around and blame it on IPOB.
“IPOB through its intelligence units has discovered that the Nigerian establishment working with the Fulani Oligarchy has activated their second phase of their plan to take over Indigenous peoples’ ancestral lands.
“Dr Mailafia who revealed this plan of the Fulani to start targeted killings of prominent Southerners has commenced in ernest (sic) with the gruesome murder of Dr. Chike Akunyili.
“They will commit these murders and hide under the name of unknown gunmen to attack more innocent and prominent people during the sit-at-home.
“We are raising this alarm so that Biafrans and residents of Biafraland will beware of this evil plot by these blood suckers. They want to go on killing spree in Biafraland and blame it on IPOB. Everybody will have to be cautious because the enemies are here with their agents of death.”
The separatist group reiterated that it was not involved in the assassination of Chike.
“Contrary to campaign of calumny sponsored by our enemies to demonise us, IPOB has no hand in the orgy of attacks in Biafra land. We have no pleasure in attacking or killing our people,” the group added.
“The ultimate intention of the masterminds of this barbarity is to make Biafra land, especially South East as insecure and porous as the terrorists-infested Northern region.
“We, therefore, want to place our people on red alert over the plot by our enemies to destabilise our region. This has become necessary following the recent revelation by a South West Governor that a Northern governor is exporting bandits from the North to other parts of Nigeria.
“This season calls for more vigilance among our people. We must all synergise as a people to provide security for every resident of Biafra land. We won’t allow our enemies to create the atmosphere of fear and terror in our land.
“We are holding the Nigerian state and some politicians from the Northern part of the country and their fellow politicians in Biafran land using DSS (Department of State Services) and sacked SARS (now defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad) officers accountable for the festering insecurity in our land (sic). They are responsible for the senseless killings going on in Biafraland particularly in Anambra and Imo states.
“It is on record that Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State warned everyone in Nigerian, especially the South about the evil plans of some elements from the North exporting Fulani terrorists and bandits to the South but it fell on deaf ears.
“Why have the DSS, Army, Police, NIA (National Intelligence Agency) and other security agents failed to investigate the revelation? They pretend as if nothing is happening because they are all involved in the evil plan to kill and slaughter Biafrans and Southerners at will in the name of gunmen.
“Whereas the Fulani bandits are wiping out Christian communites in the North as being currently witnessed in Southern Kaduna and Jos, the terrorists in security uniforms are carrying out genocide in Biafra land.
“We are calling on everybody in Biafraland to join hands and support IPOB and ESN to flush out these murderous killers ravaging our land, particularly Imo and Anambra states. Enough of this madness.”
