|
Listen to article
|
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has described as false the claim made by the federal government of air strikes by the Nigeria Air force on its hideouts in the South East Zone of the Country.
The Eastern Updates recalls that the Air force authority had earlier in the week claimed that it bombarded the camps of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Anambra and Imo States
In a statement issued in Owerri yesterday by the spokesman of the IPOB, Emma Powerful the agitators described the claim as false, insisting that they do not have camps in the areas mentioned.
The IPOB, however urged the Nigerian Air force to Chanel its energy in fighting the Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents in the North and leave the South East Zone alone
The statement further said, ‘however, as much as we detest the criminals impersonating IPOB and ESN in their violent activities in the name of Biafra struggle, we nevertheless condemn the bombing of any part of Biafra Land by the Nigeria Air Force.’
‘If the Nigeria Air Force has functioning fighter jets to bomb criminal hideouts in the rainforest of the Southeast, why then have they not bombed terrorists and bandits who are in the open in the desert lands of the North?’
Read Also: Ndigbo Tasked By Gov Mbah On Regional Projects For Growth
‘Some communities in the Northern Region of Nigeria are under the control of Boko Haram, ISWAP terrorists, and Fulani bandits. They are moving freely, abducting school children and farmers, while their State Governors and the Federal Government of Nigeria are negotiating with them.
‘IPOB ESN doesn’t engage with criminalities we are decent organisation the pictures of old women shows that they are under drugs, do they think that we are fools like them.
‘We totally condemn this bombing and destruction of our land. The government negotiates and pays ransom to the terrorists and bandits in the North, and the terrorists and bandits, in turn, use the money to acquire more assault rifles and other sophisticated weapons to continue their terror activities.
‘ESN operatives are intact and waiting for the last whistle for Biafra freedom. We are focused on the restoration of Biafra and not on killing our people in Biafraland. Biafrans are fully aware that those kidnapping and snatching cars are neither IPOB members nor ESN Operatives.
‘We have written several press releases disassociating ourselves from the criminal gangs operating around Uli, Ihiala, Nnewi, Osuihiteukwa, Osumohu, and recently Okigwe axis, The public should go back to as far back of 30th of September 2022 on national dalies you would see where IPOB disassociated itself from the criminal activities of these people in Ihiala, Uli, Lilu Osumohu, Osuihiteukwa and Nnewi South LGA’.
However reacting on the army purported to be used by IPOB to perpetrate crime, Powerful said ‘For the avoidance of doubt, Biafra does not have an army, and there is nothing called Biafran Liberation Army in Biafra land or in diaspora.
‘What we have are vigilante outfits and the Eastern Security Network (ESN), not a Biafran army. ESN has a mandate to go after the fulani terrorists masquerading as herdsmen in our bushes and forests raping our mothers, sisters, and wives and destroying our farmlands in the East.
‘The criminals operating in military camouflage parading themselves as Biafra Liberation Army are sponsored agents, not ESN Operatives at all’. Powerful asserted
He also added ‘The Nigeria Air Force must call those criminal camps they bombed by their names and not mention ESN or IPOB. Meanwhile, Air Force bombing of any criminal camp in Biafra Land while negotiating and funding terrorists in the North is the promotion of the same ethnic cleansing agenda against Biafrans and the Biafran nation.
