IPOB gives Uzodimma ultimatum to free members

Gov donates N10m to Anglican Church, appeals for prayers

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday, gave the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, till the end of this month to release innocent Biafra agitators arrested and clamped in various cells in the state or face the wrath of the organisation.

In a statement signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, in Enugu, IPOB urged Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Igbo religious leaders, civil society groups and women organisations to caution the governor against arresting innocent members of the group, stressing that it will no longer tolerate the hounding of its members in Imo.

“Friends, family members and associates of Hope Uzodimma must tell him to release those innocent Biafrans arrested unjustly in Imo State. We give him till the end of November 2021 to do so; failure of which he will be testing the will of the masses and our irrevocable resolve to restore Biafra. There is no justification for arresting peaceful agitators of Biafra, whereas bandits and mass murderers are allowed to roam the streets freely. This hatred against the innocent must stop.

“We want to put it clear to him and his co-travellers that IPOB will never stop in Imo because it is one of the states in Biafra territory. Uzodimma and his co-travellers are uninformed and cannot stop our agitation for freedom in Imo. We don’t want anybody to blame IPOB should we decide to react,” the statement stated.

The group alleged that Uzodimma and compromised security agents had done enough harm to innocent members of IPOB and ordinary citizens in the state.

MEANWHILE, Governor Uzodimma has donated N10 million to the Anglican Diocese of Egbu, near Owerri, Imo State capital.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Religious Affairs, Revd. Chidi Nwanebu, at the Second Session of the ninth Synod of the diocese held at the weekend, the governor appealed to the clergy and laity to pray fervently for the government and people of Imo to overcome the challenges bedevilling them.

The event was held at St. John’s Anglican Church, Naze, Owerri North Local Council.

Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the Governor, Oguwike Nwachuku, accompanied the governor’s delegate, who said: “Governors will come and go, problems will come and go, but Imo State will remain.”

Uzodimma promised to leave the state better than he met it, pledging to continue with the construction of roads.

In his reaction, the Bishop of the Diocese, Geoffrey Okoroafor, commended the governor for his interest in the things of God and the kind donation.