Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has dissociated itself from the emergence and activities of a militant group currently making waves in South-East region of the country.
A self-styled armed group which goes by the name, ‘Motherland Warriors,’ recently in a viral video, issued threats against the Federal Government and traditional rulers in Enugu State.
IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, in a statement Friday, denied any links between the said group and the pro-Biafra movement.
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 Kanu wish to state unequivocally to all and sundry that the criminals camping in bushes at some parts of Enugu State claiming that they are ESN Motherland warriors are not ESN Operatives nor IPOB members.
“ESN Operatives do not have nicknames. They do not have any social media handle on Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp.
“These organised criminals are sponsored by the Nigeria Government and some politicians in Enugu State, namely some Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, and other state actors in Enugu State. Their targets can be seen in the viral video that they released in Enugu State.
“They claimed that they are ESN, but they are not ESN and do not speak for ESN. The Nigeria Government, through some unscrupulous politicians, have hired criminals to keep impersonating ESN as a means to blackmail IPOB and ESN with criminality, but that can’t work.
“These sponsored criminal gangs have nothing to offer but to kill and destroy in our land and at the same time make videos claiming to be fighting for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Biafrans the video is an old video and cannot do anything.”
IPOB, in the statement, claimed that the group were sponsored agents paid to blackmail its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“These are all paid agents of blackmail targeting IPOB and MNK. For these paid criminal agents to claim to be ESN Operatives in their viral videos is laughable. They are deluded and will pay dearly for the evils they commit against our people and the treachery the perpetrate in the Biafra struggle in due time. As long as they are operating in the East, ESN will capture them one day.
“IPOB and ESN operatives don’t indulge in such cowardice or political thugery and assassination threats.
“We are warning Chocho and his gang to stop using IPOB and ESN Operatives names again in this 2023. We cannot afford to allow them to use ESN’s name in their criminal activities this year, 2023.
“IPOB is a peaceful movement, and it’s not in our DNA to go after people who are not our enemies. But if you have sold your soul to the devil and have become a tool in the hands of our enemies against innocent Biafrans and the struggle, then you have made yourself a target of IPOB and ESN.
“Impersonating ESN is highly prohibited with a capital punishment penalty. If ESN catches you impersonating them, you will have yourself to blame. That is why we are calling on every state sponsored gang to stop linking the sacred name of ESN to their criminality or face capital punishment.”
