Awka
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has distanced itself from a recent attack on a Labour Party campaign event in Enugu State on Sunday.
A trending video had showing armed men wearing IPOB and Biafran insignias, destroying canopies and vehicles at a Labour Party ground at Awgu Community, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The gunmen, numbering about four, were said to have stormed the venue of the meeting and shot sporadically causing the party members to flee, before destroying the items.
The development had not gone down well with many stakeholders in the region, most of who have condemned the attack, describing it as anti-people.
In a statement on Wednesday, the IPOB through the Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, condemned the attack, describing it as state-sponsored.
He maintained that IPOB under the command and leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu never instructed anyone to threaten or attack election campaign ground.
“If IPOB wish to do so we will make it open and Nigeria Government and its Security Agencies will hear the sound.
“Anybody or criminal groups hired for such impersonation and demonization will soon incur the wrath of IPOB volunteers and ESN operatives,” he warned.
The group said its intelligence unit, the M. Branch had intercepted the secret arrangements to hire some criminals to attack campaign grounds to incriminate IPOB and ESN in the East with Biafra flags and insignias.
According to him, “In doing so, they forgot that IPOB and ESN will not in any way desecrate the hallowed Biafra flag in the name of political attacks.
“These people keep desecrating Biafra flags any time they are carrying out their cheap and dirty blackmail against IPOB.
“Some time last year in Anambra State, the same people arranged some hooligans and their men who displayed Biafra flags when they attacked and robbed some banks at Building Material Market in Ogbunike, Anambra State to demonise IPOB.
“But they don’t know that IPOB is seven steps ahead of them.
“Any time they arrest any criminal they quickly go to the vault and dole out Biafra flags they have printed waiting for their blackmail.
“One wonders what kind of thieves will rob a person and leave their house address with their victims.”
The separatist group said it has made it known to the public severally that they are not interested in the ‘jamboree selection process’ they called Nigeria election.
It warned that anybody linking IPOB in whatever way to the election is deluded.
“We are telling the public that IPOB has no hands in this criminal activity because IPOB don’t care what happens with demonized Nigeria politics.
“IPOB is not a problem but a solution to free trapped talents
“IPOB members are peaceful and focused on how to secure referendum date same day they do their selection process called Nigeria election.”
