THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday denied targeting Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facilities adding that they have no interest in the general elections in 2023.
This was stated by IPOB in a communiqué provided to journalists in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful.
He said IPOB would punish anyone found involved in the destruction of INEC facilities that claims to be acting on behalf of the pro-Biafra movement and encouraged security services to quit attributing the movement to the pointless attacks on INEC facilities.
“ESN operatives never attacked INEC office because we are not interested in this Nigeria’s forthcoming election in 2023. Anyone or group blaming IPOB or ESN for any attack on INEC facilities is under the influence of some powerful drugs.
“IPOB will not spare anybody using our name to disrupt the election, and nobody should link us with those who are destroying election materials,” he stated
The publicity secretary, accused security agencies of hiding information regarding the real identity of those responsible for the attacks on INEC infrastructure.
He questioned why, if the alleged attackers were really IPOB members, the security agencies had not detained them.
Pointing out that politicians have been enlisting thugs and criminals.
In recent reports stakeholders had expressed concerns over recent attacks on INEC facilities in the South East, leading to the destruction of permanent voter cards and other electoral materials.
Gunmen have recently destroyed INEC offices in Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Abia, and Imo.
The INEC office in Imo’s Orlu Local Government Area was stormed on Friday. The incident was attributed by the police to individuals who they believed to be IPOB members.
But IPOB said, “Nigeria Government and her security agencies are working day and night to blackmail the IPOB self-determination movement. Criminals attack government facilities and they rush to the media to blame the attacks on IPOB and ESN without investigation.
”There has never been any time that Nigeria Police carried out any public inquiry on all the numerous attacks and arsons that they blamed IPOB for.”
