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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has accused the Nigerian army of colluding with gunmen at military checkpoints in the Southeast to intimidate, harass, extort and kidnap passengers and motorists.
The separatist group which made the allegations in a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said the atrocities usually take place at what it described as a “kill and bury” military checkpoint established at Ukwu Orji in Mbaitolu Local Government Area along the Owerri/Onitsha expressway in Imo State.
The statement, posted on the X account @IPOB Central on Friday, said the unsuspecting passengers had been “subjected to all manner of humiliation, torture and enforced disappearance at military and police checkpoints in the South-East, particularly at the military checkpoint in Ukwu Orji area.”
The group also called on the Inspector General of Police and the Defense Headquarters to immediately dismantle military and police checkpoints in the area to curb the “criminal activities” of security forces in the Southeast.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by their great and indefatigable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu, expresses alarm over the incessant intimidation, harassment and extortion of the military at the “kill and bury” military checkpoint constructed at Ukwu Orji in Mbaitolu LGA along the Owerri/Onitsha expressway,” the IPOB spokesperson said.
“Ndigbo passengers have been subjected to all manner of humiliation, torture and enforced disappearance at military and police checkpoints in the Eastern Region, particularly at the “kill and bury” military checkpoint at Ukwu Orji along the Owerri/Onitsha expressway.
“The soldiers at this checkpoint deliberately detain all vehicles coming to the checkpoint from 10pm to about 12 midnight until each vehicle pays them N5,000 before they are allowed to pass through to continue their journey.
“Sometimes, after unnecessary delays and extortion by soldiers at these checkpoints, passengers are attacked and kidnapped on the road.
“The soldiers and police at these checkpoints are informants for the kidnappers. They are professional armed robbers who use weapons and uniforms issued by the Nigerian government to intimidate and coerce people into handing over their money or being delayed until the next day or even killed.
“Similar incidents occurred at all military and police checkpoints spread throughout the Southeast Region.
“The countless army and police checkpoints collect N5,000 or more from every vehicle in the South-East Region and make the movement of people and vehicles difficult and expensive.
“The militarization of the South-East Region is not only a policy of intimidation and repression by the Federal Government of Nigeria and its ruthless security agencies, but also a plan to occupy Biafra territory.
“Nigerian security agencies also regularly violate the rules of the UN human rights commission in carrying out their evil plans in Igbo land. The Nigerian government’s policy of economic strangulation against the Ndigbo tribe can be felt by all the inhabitants of Igbo land.
READ ALSO:IPOB warns Southeast Asian politicians not to sabotage Kanu’s release efforts
“Excessive extortion at these military and police checkpoints makes the cost of goods and transportation very expensive compared to other parts of their country.
“Holding passengers at gunpoint from 10pm to 12am is a fundamental human rights violation. All this is done to extort large sums of money from travellers before allowing them to pass through military or police checkpoints.
“This shows that the Nigerian military is part of the criminality going on in Imo State and the entire South-East Region.
“IPOB has in the past raised the alarm that military and police checkpoints in the Eastern region are part of the insecurity fueling kidnapping and car snatching activities.
“The presence of soldiers and police at various checkpoints has not reduced the sense of insecurity. On the contrary, Nigerian soldiers at checkpoints humiliate, intimidate, rape our women, extort money and provide information to kidnappers.
“They work with the kidnappers who give them part of the ransom collected from the kidnap victims.
“IPOB calls on the Nigerian Defence Headquarters and the Chief of Army Staff to withdraw and dismantle Military checkpoints in the East especially the checkpoint at Ukwu Orji on the Owerri/Onitsha expressway if they are to retain what is left of their integrity.
“The Nigerian soldiers stationed at the checkpoint are part of the insecurity in the South-East Region.
Checkpoints are meant to protect innocent civilians while stopping the activities of criminal elements that terrorize the community.
“Instead of stopping insecurity, the military men and women at these checkpoints are exacerbating insecurity, kidnapping, angering and frustrating civilians on the highway. Military checkpoints are extortion and information-gathering sites for kidnappers.
“Therefore, IPOB demands that the TNI and Polri immediately dismantle all military and criminal police checkpoints placed indiscriminately in the Southeast and Southern Regions.
“We believe their personnel have turned the checkpoint into something else. This checkpoint is fueling the anger of the people. The Nigerian Army and Police in the East must not wait for the anger of the people to reach boiling point before they allow Ndigbo to breathe easy.
“The Nigerian army must not underestimate the reaction of the angry and hurt people. The Biafran people and the Biafran region have suffered a lot.”
IPOB PRESS RELEASE
Date 12/07/2024IPOB ASKS IG POLICE AND DEFENSE HEADQUARTERS TO DISMANTLESS MILITARY CRIMINAL CHECK POSTS IN SOUTHEAST
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by their great and tireless leader, Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu has raised alarm over…
— IPOB Liverpool Central (@ipob_central) July 12, 2024
IPOB accuses soldiers of colluding with gunmen at checkpoints to kidnap passengers in S’East first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.
