The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied responsibility for the gruesome murder of eight northerners living in Orogwe, a suburb community in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The outlawed group stated this in a statement on Saturday by its spokesman, Emma Powerful.
Powerful alleged that the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies are conniving with Ebubeagu operatives in killing innocent people in order to blackmail the secessionist group.
He stated that anybody linking IPOB to the recent attack in Imo State is doing that to demonise and blackmail the group and its members.
Powerful reiterated that the group has nothing against Hausa people living peacefully and doing their legitimate businesses in the South East.
The statement read in part, “Our attention has been drawn to the laughable disgraceful, unguarded and fabricated statement alleging that IPOB members were responsible for the gruesome murder of eight northern people living in Orogwe, suburb community in Owerri, Imo State.
“It is unfortunate that the Federal Government and her security agencies would descend so low to collude with the Ebubeagu militia that was created by Governor Hope Uzodimma and his government to kill innocent people just to blackmail the IPOB.
“Is the government not tired of this wicked propaganda and blood-shedding of innocent Imo civilians in the East just to blackmail and demonise the IPOB?
“The IPOB has not and will never attack any peaceful individual or group of people doing legitimate business or trading in our territory. We are only after those criminals and bandits they brought into our territory masquerading as Fulani herdsmen who kidnap for ransom, rape our women and murder our farmers in our forests and bushes.
“The IPOB will never succumb to pressure and blackmail from pursuing those terrorists masquerading as herdsmen in our bushes and forests. The ESN has been dealing with and dislodging those sponsored terrorists and will continue to do so until they vacate our forest and bushes. Therefore, Nigeria Police and its sister security agencies operating in Biafraland should leave IPOB alone to sanitise our territory of terrorists.
“The IPOB has several times said that we have nothing against Hausa people living peacefully and doing their legitimate businesses, anybody linking IPOB to the recent attack in Imo State is doing that to demonise and blackmail the IPOB.
“The IPOB did not harm or kill anyone in Imo State on Monday because we are peaceful and have not indulged in enforcing non-existent Monday sit-at-home order. We are focused on rescuing Biafrans from the damnable Nigeria Republic.
“Biafrans should be aware that Nigeria’s compromised security agencies are complicit in the numerous kidnappings for ransom and killing of innocent citizens in the East which they maliciously blame on the IPOB and ESN. They are doing all these barbaric activities to place the IPOB in a bad light to our people and the international community.”
