A protestor gestures as he takes part in a demonstration in Durban, South Africa, on May 30, 2019 during a Freedom March for Biafra held worldwide and organised by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to mark the anniversary of the unilateral declaration of independence in 1967 that sparked a brutal 30-month civil war in Nigeria. (Photo AFP)
By Anayo Okoli – Enugu
The indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB, has denied attacking any security agent in Igbo land or anywhere for that matter.
According to IPOB, those making the “spurious allegations” were merely hired by Nigerian security agencies just to get at the peaceful agitators.
In a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB wondered how unarmed group would attack a state armed and sponsored agencies.
“Our attention has been drawn to the wild and spurious allegations against IPOB by some amorphous groups including the non-existent Igbo Nigeria Movement (INM) and similar faceless groups (allegedly) recruited to blackmail a peaceful movement.
“These hirings have been going about making untenable allegations and defamatory media remarks scripted by their paymasters against IPOB.
“Their latest lie is the allegation that IPOB is responsible for the purported attacks on security operatives in South East and South-South.
“We find it amusing how these unscrupulous elements without any contact address, think they can come to limelight via untenable allegations against a globally recognized peaceful group like IPOB.
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“These irritants have sustained their unwarranted attacks on IPOB through fabricated and blatant lies, and cheap propaganda to impress their paymasters.
“Assuming but not conceding to this blatant falsehood, how can an unarmed man attack a fully armed security agent and escape unhurt? Doesn’t it sound funny? What a shameful allegation!
“We know their aim is to discredit IPOB before the international community which is now interested in the matters we have raised concerning the atrocities perpetrated in Nigeria by this evil government.
“Ordinarily we wouldn’t have bothered to dignify these detractors with a response as we have since known their stock in trade, but for the sake of the gullible ones and some innocent minds.
“There is no iota of truth in this fictitious claim. IPOB is not responsible for any attack against any security agent.
“We want to sound a note of warning to these hirings especially the purported INM peddling lies against IPOB to desist forthwith or be ready for the consequences of their blackmail against innocent people.
“Unfortunately for them, the era of propaganda and cheap blackmail is gone. The world now knows better. IPOB’s nonviolent ideology about the Biafra project is well known and cannot change. But the inalienable right of the oppressed to defend himself against the oppressor is not illegitimate.
“We are not armed and have no plans to pick up arms. But should we decide to go into arms struggle which is not an option on the table, it will not be a secret affair.
“We won’t depend on arms collected from any security agent to defend Biafra. That is childish and an insult to IPOB.
“All we need is Biafra, our own country which has been in existence before Britain created Nigeria. Marriage isn’t by force. We are tired of this bondage and want a referendum to determine our fate. Simple!
“Nigerian government and her security operatives, as well as Biafra traitors and saboteurs in Biafraland and elsewhere, must understand that IPOB cannot be decimated contrary to their erroneous calculations, and wishful thinking”, the statement said.
