The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has debunked rumors that its members are planning reprisal attacks on northern residents in any part of the South East over the recent killings in Ukpabi Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu State.
The pro-Biafra group said as a non-violent movement, people should not associate its members with cold-blooded killing of innocent people in their sleep, like the ones being perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen in the South East.
The spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful, made the group’s position known in a statement issued on Tuesday in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
In the statement, IPOB frowned at the attempt to associate it with killings and bloodletting, saying it is a “peace loving” group.
Emma said that it has become absolutely necessary to state publicly, “That we do not have any intention or plans to attack Northerners resident in the Eastern region in the name of reprisal attacks”.
He said that the group is forced to make the statement following constant pressures and calls from elders and leaders from all walks of life, stressing that they have never thought in that direction and will never do such.
Emma said, “We are not a violent organization; we are a peace loving mass movement, with branches in 98 countries, desirous of freedom from a ruthless, tyrannical oppressors who have held us down for decades.
“We don’t have any reason whatsoever to attack and kill people in cold blood like Fulani herdsmen, despite the mindlessly killing of our people in Port Harcourt, Onitsha Obodo-Ukwu Road, Onitsha Bridge head and while praying at Igbo National College compound in Aba, which we endured with equanimity”.
The IPOB spokesman recalled that hundreds of their members have been killed and buried, “suddenly they turned around to falsely accuse us of killing five of their kinsmen, which the whole world rose in our defense, we can never kill people in cold blood, as we are not animals”.
The group said those calling and pleading with it to cancel its threats and ultimatums, should know that it (IPOB) never issued any ultimatum after the Uzo-Uwani massacres by the herdsmen.
IPOB, therefore, urged those pleading with them over fake ultimatum to direct their pleas to rabble rousers and agent provocateurs who found their voices only after the Uzo-Uwani massacre, and are playing to the gallery in order to be noticed.
The statement alleged that those pleading with IPOB members are sponsored by local politicians to issue threats and ultimatums in the hope that the Presidency, which has ignored them, will invite them to plead with their youths to sheathe their swords.
Emma said, “The only time we issued an ultimatum to the federal government, which they complied two hours before its expiration with was on the issue of the Ugwuleshi 76, these non-existent groups were dumb, deaf and mute”.
He insisted that, “We are not planning any attacks; we are committed to a peaceful dissolution of this prison, where some people erroneously believe they are born to rule us.
“Where there is suffering in the midst of plenty, where an unworkable structure is imposed on 180 million people, where ethnic hatred reigns, where others will be working while others will be busy eating the things meant for all”.
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