THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, have denounced the ongoing attacks on INEC facilities in certain South-Eastern states, particularly in the Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State and Orsuihiteukwa in the Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State.
The pro-Biafran group urged citizens to avoid the rumored order being circulated by the Simon Ekpa faction and further denied directing any sit-at-home movements in the South-East during the election period.
Emma Powerful, the IPOB’s media and publicity secretary, alleged in a statement today that individuals who attacked INEC facilities were mostly supported and paid by dishonest politicians who wanted to demonize IPOB and the Eastern Security Network.
The group emphasized that they had no interest in the next election in Nigeria and added that their sole demand was a set date for a referendum to determine their political, social and economic future.
It said, “IPOB condemns the recent attacks on INEC offices and staff in Ihiala LGA, Anambra State. The criminal gangs operating within Ihiala LGA and Orsuihiteukwa in Orsu LGA, Imo State are primarily funded and sponsored by unscrupulous politicians to demonise IPOB and ESN operatives.
“We maintain that we have no interest in the selection process called Nigeria election. Hence, we refrained from making any statement concerning the jamboree. Our only demand is a referendum date for us to decide our political, social and economic future either in a united Nigeria or independent Biafra nation.
“IPOB and ESN operatives did not ask any group to attack INEC facilities for whatever reason, nor did we issue any sit-at-home order within the election period.
“Anybody linking IPOB to the malicious sit-at-home order must be very ignorant. IPOB has its own channels to disseminate information, through its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, or through an official IPOB memo signed by the Head of the directorate of state of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Chika Edoziem. Any IPOB public information that is not from the above-mentioned channels should be disregarded.
“We urge our people not to pay attention to any fake information linking IPOB to criminal activities of infiltrators and collaborators. IPOB volunteers and ESN operatives will make Biafraland very uncomfortable to criminal gangs paid to intimidate our people and blackmail our peaceful movement. Nigeria security agencies who have been aiding, abetting and supporting these criminals recruited and funded by politicians must steer clear because we will unleash our venom on those who want to blackmail IPOB.
“The task ahead is enormous, and our enemies are relentlessly exploiting every means to destroy IPOB through this election, but we won’t allow them to continue in their obnoxious plan to destroy IPOB and ESN operatives and derail our freedom march.
“The attacks on INEC facilities within this period are not supported by IPOB, because that will not add any positive value to our struggle. We are only seeking Biafra freedom through peaceful means and not through violence.”
