Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has accused security operatives and members of Ebubeagu security outfit of terrorising residents of South-East geopolitical zone under the guise of unknown gunmen.
IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, claimed that security agencies and Ebubeagu targeted Igbo youths returning for Christmas and New Year celebrations for elimination.
The pro-Biafra movement also accused the duo of displacing some communities in Igboland during the festivities and blaming their atrocities on the Eastern Security Network, ESN.
The statement made available to Ikengaonline read in part: “We the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership and command of Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu condemn the massacring of Biafra citizens by Nigeria Government’s compromised Security Agencies while deceiving the public that the killers are unknown gunmen and IPOB.
“Nigeria Government and its compromised Security Agencies have made this year’s Christmas season a season of human harvest, of killings, and displacement of peaceful Igbo communities. Nigerian Security Agencies target Igbo youths who returned home for Christmas for massacre just to portray Igboland as unsafe. All the killings of Ndigbo and displacement of communities were done by Nigerian Security Agencies and Government-sponsored Ebubeagu, who later blame it on unknown gunmen and ESN operatives. Nigeria is killing Biafrans.
“Some of these security agencies recently went to a bar in Anambra village and murdered without mercy about 50 youths who were celebrating New Year in their community and later claimed it was unknown gunmen. This is to tell you that the terrorists in uniforms are responsible for all the killings in every community in Biafraland. Nigerian Security Agencies are the Unknown gunmen terrorising Igbo land.”
IPOB also accused the Nigeria Government of “conducting ethnic cleansing, an agenda it has had against Ndigbo for a long time,” asserting, however, that “the evil agenda will always fail.”
Continuing it said: “As it failed between 1967-1970, so shall it fail again and again because we are here to defend our land and our existence.
“There is no longer insecurity in the South-Eastern Region, but the security in Nigeria is carrying out ethnic cleansing agenda against Ndigbo. The Nigeria Government and its security think they can eradicate Ndigbo in the space we occupy today, not knowing that God Almighty will not allow them to succeed.
“A few days ago, Nigeria Army moved into Okigwe villages and murdered some persons and forced people to desert their communities this festive season.”
IPOB expressed sadness over the silence of the world on the on-going atrocities by security agencies in the South-East.
“The world has kept quiet. The same hypocrites who are silent now should not blame us when we start responding in the same way to the terrorist security agencies.
“We have waited for these marauding soldiers to be called to order, and we may not continue to watch while innocent blood of our people is being wasted daily.”
IPOB called on the international community to intervene to forestall further destruction of communities and waste of innocent lives in the South-East.
“We are calling the attention of the International Community, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch Organisation, American Government, Russia Government, Germany, UK Government, United Nations Human Rights Organisations, Israeli Government, Canadian Government, French Government and all the Diplomatic Missions in Abuja to the ethnic cleansing agenda happening in Biafra Land particularly in Igbo Land.”