IPOB distances self from bombing of Nwodo’s house

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied involvement in the alleged bombing at the residence of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo recently also accused the Nigeria Police and other law enforcement agencies of being in the habit of “painting the group black in a futile attempt to discredit the struggle for the Independence of the republic of Biafra and arrest its members.”

Reacting to a statement credited to the Police in Enugu State that two of its members have been arrested “for the bombing that took place at Nwodo’s residence”, IPOB said it was part of the ploy to give the organisation a bad name and bury the struggle.

In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB said: “Those behind this latest scheme to impugn the integrity of IPOB are the same people that have for four years tried unsuccessfully to label IPOB a terrorist group.

“We find it ironic that at a time when murder and mayhem perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen is the order of the day across the land, law enforcement agencies in Nigeria, disproportionately staffed and led by core northern Fulani officers, will brazenly seek to divert public attention away from their genocidal ethnic cleansing in the Middle Belt and point same towards IPOB.

Only those blessed with irredeemable ignorance will give this purported arrest of IPOB family members, in connection with an alleged bomb explosion at Nwodo’s house, a second thought.

Nigerian Police is well known for their uncivilised and crude approach to investigations and will charge a goat with a crime if it will help the local DPO, Commissioner of Police or governor advance his public relations or as in this case help tarnish the squeaky clean image of IPOB.”

The statement continued: “ Nigerian courts are littered with cases of IPOB family members charged with terrorism, treason, treasonable felony, murder, attempted murder, arson and more outlandish charges not catered for in the Nigerian criminal code, but at the end of every legal process, the same police and DSS will end up running away from their law courts.

Despite the litany of much publicised arrests, with thousands illegally detained in police and prison custody across Nigeria, till date no single IPOB family member, we repeat- no single IPOB has ever been convicted of any crime and none will.

We are God fearing, law abiding citizens under a sacred oath not to commit any crime against person or state because Biafra is the kingdom of heaven on earth.

“We are used to these laughable periodic stunt charges and phony arrests anytime the government is in public relations mess and seeking to divert public attention away from their crimes.

How bizarre that peaceful IPOB family members are being arrested when Fulani terror herdsmen have government license to slaughter innocent populations at will?

Why won’t all these seemingly efficient police commissioners in the east apply their investigative skills in apprehending and charging killer herdsmen butchering entire communities rather than buying them with peaceful IPOB”.