By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has absolved itself of alleged gun snatching in Ebonyi State.

This is coming on the heels of an allegation by the Ebonyi State Police Commissioner (CP) Philip Maku that the group snatched two AK-47 from an Area Commander.

IPOB described it as another fabrication by the police in their usual characteristics of propaganda and blackmail to disrepute IPOB.

The group in a statement by its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful dissociated itself from the alleged attack saying it knew nothing about it.

The statement partly reads: “IPOB ably led by our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to state clearly that we know nothing about the alleged snatching of guns in Ebonyi State. The allegation by the Ebonyi State Police Commissioner that our members snatched two AK-47 from Area Commander is unfounded and a total falsehood.

“We have always made it known that our philosophy for Biafra actualization is nonviolent, but any day we want to change that approach we shall make it known. If we want to go into arms struggle we know where to go and source for arms. We won’t defend Biafra with stolen guns from the Nigeria Police. So, linking IPOB with stolen guns in Ebonyi cannot fly. It’s a blatant lie.

“We, therefore call on the Police hierarchy in Ebonyi state as well as Gov. Dave Umahi, to immediately halt all the harassment and intimidation of our members and Ebonyi indigenes since the beginning of the ongoing #EndSARS protest. The security agents have been abducting the youths and tagging them armed robbers.”

IPOB accused Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi of collaborating with Miyetti Allah in killing anybody standing against ceding the ancestral lands to Fulani in Ebonyi State.

While urging the governor to stop using security operatives to intimidate its members, the group expressed anger over the recent arrest of what it labelled as innocent and Peaceful IPOB members by Umahi’s government as well as the CP and tagging them armed robbers.

“IPOB members are not armed robbers and do not indulge in arms struggle right from inception. On Friday of October 2020, the Nigeria Police and Ngbo Central Security Vigilante arrested Mazi Alieze Uchenna, Mazi Agbo Chinonso, Mazi Onwe Okechukwu and Onwe Onyekachi and forced them to admit to allegations of being robbers. They were subsequently charged for robbery.

“This continued illegal abduction and kidnapping of innocent people in our land must stop. The Nigeria government and her security operatives should stop testing our will.

“We want to place the world on notice that Dave Umahi has once again instructed Nigeria Police Force, Army and DSS to start house-to-house search of IPOB family members and those suspected to be IPOB supporters in Ebonyi state. Dave Umahi is doing this to help Fulani to conquer Ebonyi State and other parts of Biafraland.”

The group accused Umahi of supporting the provocative hounding of its members with its attendant result of continued killings, maimings and raping of mothers and daughters by rampaging Fulani herdsmen in Ebonyi State and other communities in Biafraland.

Continuing, the statement says: “The Nigerian army and police have continued to arrest innocent members of IPOB without provocation while treating Boko Haram terrorists, Bandits, Fulani terrorists herdsmen with kid gloves.

“Today many Nigeria youths are on the streets and roads of Nigeria and Biafra but security operatives are busy chasing innocent citizens in Biafra land.

“Biafra agitators have continued to languish in various police detention facilities yet terrorists are being granted state pardon with rehabilitation packages. In all the streets and roads of Nigeria protesting youths are demanding their rights across Nigeria while Nigeria government and her security operatives are busy recruiting thugs to attack them instead of listening to their demands.”

IPOB called on Ebonyi State Governor and his counterparts in the South East and South South to release Biafra agitators arrested in their respective states without hesitation.

It also called on the UK High Commission in Nigeria, Amnesty International, UK, US Embassy in Abuja, UNDP in Nigeria and other countries high commissions and embassies in Nigeria to prevail on Nigeria Government and the governors to release IPOB members abducted illegally before it becomes too late.

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