The outlawed Igbo separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), condemned what they described as the indiscriminate arrest of innocent Igbo youths in Abia State for the May 30 killing of soldiers in the state by gunmen in commemoration of Biafra Day.
Five soldiers were reportedly killed in Obikabia Community by gunmen enforcing the sit-at-home order announced by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Biafra Government in Exile, Simon Ekpa, and since then, there have been reports of random arrests. young generation in society.
But in a statement on Saturday issued by IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group frowned upon the arrest of the youths, saying “the persistent intimidation, illegal arrest, torture and enforced disappearance of Igbo youths by the Nigerian Army is part of the ethnic cleansing agenda against Ndigbo.”
Powerful quipped that “The Nigerian Army used intimidation and indiscriminate arrests to force Biafran youth to flee their communities so that imported Fulani terrorists attacked our communities without resistance.
“The movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) worldwide, led by its indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, condemns the indiscriminate arrest of innocent civilians in Abia State for the heinous killing of Igbo soldiers at Obikabia Community junction on 30. May 2024,” the statement read.
“The persistent intimidation, illegal arrest, torture and enforced disappearance of Igbo youth by the Nigerian Army is part of the ethnic cleansing agenda against Ndigbo.
“Following a false flag operation that led to the killing of 5 Nigerian soldiers at Obikabia military checkpoint, Aba, on May 30, hundreds of Abia youths have been kidnapped by the unprofessional Nigerian Army.
“Sweeping the city and arresting innocent people in the name of falsely searching for IPOB and Operation ESN is an attempt to cover up the investigation into the incident of the soldiers being killed.
“IPOB and ESN were not involved in the attack and killing of soldiers. It is unfortunate that the Nigerian Army belittles themselves internationally because of their hatred of Ndigbo. No amount of false flag operations and blackmail will make IPOB back down in its quest for Biafra Independence.
“The Nigerian government and the Nigerian Army know very well that the attack and killing of the soldiers was a false flag operation carried out by the Nigerian Army.
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“IPOB Intel has revealed that Fulani kidnappers who were aggrieved by being driven away from the demolition of stalls at Lokpanta cattle market, in collusion with some Fulani in the military command in Aba, carried out a false flag operation on May 30 during Biafra Heroes Day.
“To create confusion among the Ndigbo, the Fulani in the Abia State Military Command only deployed Igbo soldiers and some Christian soldiers from the Middle Belt region to military checkpoints marked for this specific purpose. The soldiers were sacrificed for a 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 records that the investigation shows and the records that show the deployment of soldiers on that day.
“Let the world see that they only destroyed the Ndigbo army in Nigeria and decided to accuse IPOB-ESN of the attack and killing of soldiers at Obikabia military checkpoint on May 30.
“IPOB advises Governor Alex Otti of Abia State to be careful not to fall for the use of false flag operations to harm the people of Abia.
“Allowing indiscriminate illegal arrests of its citizens would undermine its reputation. Governor Alex Otti should be wary of collaborating with retired General Ihejirika, which would turn him against the people and destroy his political ambitions.
“Abia State must not be turned into a war zone as a result of the false flag operation carried out by the Nigerian Army to justify the invasion of Abia State.
“The Nigerian Army and the aggrieved Fulani in Lokpanta want to divert the attention of the Abia State Governor from their evil agenda.
“Governor Alex Otti must not allow himself to focus on fighting IPOB and ESN while Fulani terrorists and the Nigerian military perfect their strategies to destabilize Abia State and thwart his development agenda.
“Dr. Alex Otti should look beyond the false flag operation that led to the deaths of soldiers at the Obikabia military checkpoint, but beware of his political opponents before they mislead him.
“The illegal indiscriminate arrest of a citizen of Abia State by the Nigerian Army is aimed at pitting him against the citizens of the state,” said the IPOB spokesperson.
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