The proscribed Igbo separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has condemned what it described as the indiscriminate arrest of innocent Igbo youths in Abia State over the killing of soldiers in the state on May 30 by gunmen during the Biafra Day commemoration.
Five soldiers were reportedly killed at Obikabia Community by gunmen who were enforcing a sit-at-home order declared by the self-styled Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, Simon Ekpa, and since then, there have been reports of random arrests of youths in the community.
But in a statement on Saturday issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group frowned at the arrests of the youths, saying the “continuous intimidation, illegal arrest, torture, and forceful disappearance of Igbo youths by Nigerian Army was part of an ethnic cleansing agenda against Ndigbo.”
Powerful insinuated that “the Nigerian Army is using intimidation and indiscriminate arrest to force Biafran youths to flee from their communities so that the imported Fulani terrorists invade our communities without resistance.
“The movement and worldwide family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by the indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, condemns the indiscriminate arrest of innocent civilians in Abia State because of the malicious murder of Igbo soldiers at Obikabia Community junction on 30th of May 2024,” the statement reads.
“The continuous intimidation, illegal arrest, torture, and forceful disappearance of Igbo youths by the Nigerian Army is part of an ethnic cleansing agenda against Ndigbo.
“After the false flag operation that led to the killing of 5 Nigerian soldiers at Obikabia military checkpoint, Aba, on 30th May, hundreds of Abia youths have been abducted by the unprofessional Nigerian Army.
“Sweeping the city and arresting innocent people in the name of falsely looking for IPOB and ESN Operatives is a cover-up against investigation into the slained soldiers’ incident.
“IPOB and ESN are not involved in the attack and murder of the soldiers. It is unfortunate that the Nigerian Army are belittling themselves internationally because of the hatred they have against Ndigbo. No amount of false flag operations and blackmail will make IPOB retreat in the quest for Biafra Independence.
“The Nigerian government and the Nigerian Army knew very well that the attack and murder of the soldiers was a false flag operation by the Nigerian Army.
“IPOB Intel have revealed that the aggrieved Fulanis kidnappers dislodged by the demolition of shanties at the Lokpanta cattle market, colluded with some Fulanis in the military command at Aba, carried out the false flag operations on May 30th during Biafra Heroes Day.
“In order to create confusion among Ndigbo, the Fulanis in the Abia State Military Command deployed only Igbo soldiers and few Christian soldiers from the Middle Belt region to the marked military checkpoint for this particular purpose. The soldiers were sacrificed for the false flag operation to blackmail IPOB and create an opportunity for the Army to invade Abia State.
“We challenge the Nigerian Army to show the world the record of the results of the investigation that showed and records that show the posting of soldiers that day.
“Let the world see that they destroyed only Ndigbo in Nigeria army and decided to accuse IPOB-ESN for the attack and murder of the soldiers at the Obikabia military checkpoint on 30th May.
“IPOB advises Governor Alex Otti of Abia State to be careful not to fall into the trap of using the false flag operation to set himself against Abia citizens.
“Permitting the indiscriminate illegal arrest of his fellow citizens will damage his already earned admiration. Governor Alex Otti must be careful of working with retired Gen. Ihejirika, who will turn him against the people to destroy his political ambition.
“Abia State must not be turned into a war zone as a result of false flag operations that the Nigerian Army has adopted to justify the invasion of Abia State.
“The Nigerian Army and their aggrieved Fulanis at Lokpanta want to divert Abia State Governor’s attention from their malicious agenda.
“Governor Alex Otti must not allow himself to focus on fighting IPOB and ESN while the Fulani terrorists and Nigeria military perfect their strategy to destabilize Abia State and frustrate his development agenda.
“Dr. Alex Otti should look beyond the false flag operation that led to the death of the soldiers at Obikabia military checkpoint, but be careful with his political adversaries before they lead him astray.
“Indiscriminate illegal arrest of Abia State citizens by the Nigerian Army is targeted at pitting him against the citizens,” the IPOB spokesman said.
