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In a statement released on Tuesday, the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB, categorically denied allegations that the Nigerian Army had attacked an ESN camp in Arochukwu, Abia State, describing the reports as a blatant attempt to tarnish the organization’s image.
The IPOB ridiculed the Nigerian military’s claim of raiding the ESN camp in Afikpo forest, saying it exposed their ignorance and lack of understanding of the situation.
A statement by IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, reads: “The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the great and indomitable leader Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu wish to debunk the claims of Nigeria military attacking IPOB ESN camp and killing 6 ESN Operatives by the terrorist Nigeria Army, Abia State Command.
“This claim is part of the Nigerian Army’s blackmail and propaganda against IPOB that should be trashed. All ESN Camps are intact.
“The recent statement from the Nigeria military where they claimed they invaded ESN camp at Afikpo forest in Abia State, indicated that they are clueless and bent on demonizing IPOB even when the truth is bare to the public. The invaded camp belongs to a group that called themselves the Biafran National Guard (BNG). These groups have no affiliation with IPOB and ESN.
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“IPOB is not the only group agitating for Biafra. The important question is, why does the NIGERIAN Government and its murderous Security Forces target IPOB alone? Even when other groups claim responsibility for any violent actions, the Nigerian Army will tag their actions on IPOB. The answer is that IPOB is the only genuine group agitating for Biafra freedom and the Nigerian Government is much aware.
“The Nigerian Government may have set up and sponsored other Biafra agitators to use their violent activities to blackmail IPOB ESN movements.
“For instance, after the Nigerian Government dumped the infiltrators they sponsored to terrorize Imo State and her environs, the Nigerian Army invaded the camp called Valley camp in Imo State.
“After the invasion, the notorious Nigerian Army labelled the boldly captioned Liberation Army Valley camp as ESN camp just to blackmail IPOB for standing resolute in the Self-determination struggle.
“The latest claim by the Nigerian Army of invading and killing some of the armed agitators is one of their blackmail against IPOB and ESN.
The IPOB stated that the Nigerian Army’s maneuvers, including the supposed invasion and neutralization of armed combatants, were unrelated to ESN personnel, who maintained no presence in the Afikpo forest area and had no allegiance to the BNG armed group.
