The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has maintained that the group would not be intimidated by the threat by the new Acting Inspector General of police (IGP), Alkali Usman of a clamp-down on its members and other pro-Biafra activists.
The new police boss had on Thursday vowed to “confront increasingly, complex and pervasive security threats in the country such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, secessionist agitation and sundry organised crimes.”
But reacting to the IGP’s threat through its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB stated that the group and its members were used to such threatening comments.
He said: “Others before him said more than that, but that will not deter us from exercising our rights and seeking our freedom. We have said it time without number that we are not harmful or violent. We will continue to remain peaceful, no matter the allegation they heap on us.
“IPOB is a movement recognised all over the world. We shall continue to go about our agitation without hindrance from anybody. Not even hundreds of the IGP or DSS can stop us.”
Likewise, the Biafra Customary Government of Mujahid Asari Dokubo has warned the Nigeria Government and the police against use of force and impunity against citizens of the country, affirming that it could only embolden the youths, which might eventually lead to an unimaginable situation.
Head of Communication and Information of the Biafra Customary Government, Uche Mefor, who stated this in a statement, also urged the police IGP to allow the citizens in the country to freely exercise their rights without intimidation.
He further reminded the IGP that all that his group is doing is enshrined in the human rights law, noting that intimidation from the security agencies would only amount to tyranny.
Mefor said: “We therefore reassert that we are not at war with the Nigerian state and do not intend to do so. Everything we are doing is firmly rooted within the confines of both domestic and international laws.
“The agents of the Nigerian state should further be reminded that discrimination, injustice and oppression emboldens the victims and breed resistance.” Mefor stated.
Meanwhile IPOB also accused the Nigeria military of killing Igbo in Essien Udim Local Government of Akwa Ibom as well as in some parts of Benue State while tagging them as gunmen.
Media and publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful said: “The Nigeria military has been using aircraft leased from Pakistan and with the support of United Kingdom Mission in Nigeria, to bomb the people of Essien in Akwa Ibom as well as the lower Benue, claiming they are fighting unknown gunmen purportedly hiding in the area.
“How can a responsible military use helicopter gunboats and military jets against ordinary citizens? Boko Haram, Miyetti Allah and other Fulani terrorist groups have been killing soldiers and police in the North East and North West without soldiers using deadly force on nearest civilian settlements or using military jets to terrorize innocent citizens.”
Sun News