By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has absolved itself of killing Ahmed Gulak, former Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying it knows nothing about it.

Gulak was murdered on Saturday around Umueze Obiangwu in Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area in Imo State by gunmen while on his to Sam Mbakwe Airport

IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, in a statement on Sunday insisted it had nothing in common with late Gulak to kill him. The separatist group wondered what threat the late Gulak constituted to its cause to warrant his elimination

The statement partly reads: “The attention of we the Indigenous People of Biafra, ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the untenable allegation by the security agencies that IPOB was responsible for the assassination of former presidential aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak on his way to Sam Mbakwe Airport Owerri Imo State.

“Pointing accusing fingers at IPOB for this barbaric act is only meant to divert attention away from the real masterminds. This is the same way terrorists in security uniform commit various atrocities in South East and turn around to blame IPOB for their crimes just to tarnish our global reputation.

“This is purely a smokescreen to justify their long awaited plan to declare another special military operation in the Eastern region to kill more innocent Biafrans.

“Instead of the security agencies to properly investigate the incident and possible factors they were switch to accuse IPOB of a crime we know nothing about. Did IPOB have the itinerary of the late Gulak to have waylaid him at the airport?”

IPOB urged security agencies to first investigate before pointing fingers.

It likened the statement to the allegation by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police who raised false alarm recently that IPOB and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) were planning to attack Lagos State.

The group said the false alarm was a gimmick to conceal the plans by the terrorists patronising the Nigerian Government to use their imported terrorists to bomb soft targets in the City of Lagos and blame it on IPOB.

While saying it was not surprised that they quickly pointed accusing fingers at IPOB as in the past, it observed that security agencies have always looked for every opportunity to incriminate it so as to frustrate its struggle for Biafra restoration.

IPOB said: “This too will not fly because the world is aware that IPOB is a peaceful movement. IPOB is not a terrorist organization and does not spill blood.

“Had the late Chief of Army Staff Attahiru’s plane crashed in the East, definitely, the so-called Intelligence Agency would say it was IPOB that shot down the plane and everyone in Fulani controlled Sharia core North would believe it.

“For us, linking IPOB with the assassination of Gulak is simply to pitch the East against the core Islamic North as a cover and justification for another round of pogrom against Easterners living in the North.

“We are only after the restoration of Biafra. Assassination of politicians is not part of our agenda otherwise we would have killed the Efulefu politicians in the Eastern region sabotaging our struggle.”

IPOB said it is in a mournful mood ahead of the May 31 Biafra Remembrance Day in honour of its fallen heroes.

“The order is for Monday and not Sunday. People were freely moving about on the streets of Biafra without any molestations by IPOB and there was no way we could have singled out Gulak for attack because we a non-violent movement.

“Please leave IPOB out of your messy incompetence. We challenge Aso Rock to Institute an independent panel of inquiry to investigate the incident and expose those behind this gruesome murder of an innocent man.

“Our hearts go out to the family of Gulak. May his soul rest in peace,” it added.

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