Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the deployment of security personnel to Onitsha, Anambra State, describing it as a deliberate attempt to provoke violence and destabilise the South-East.
The group was reacting to Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s decision to shut down markets in the commercial city following traders’ observance of the Monday sit-at-home earlier declared by IPOB.
In a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB accused the governor of unleashing military and police operatives on peaceful traders and protesters, alleging that live ammunition was fired during the protest.
IPOB described the action as a violation of human rights and warned that such measures could escalate tensions in the area, claiming that authorities often instigate violence and later blame IPOB and the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The group called on human rights organisations and the international community to intervene, and urged security agencies to refrain from using force against unarmed civilians.
Reaffirming its position, IPOB said it remains committed to peace, dialogue, and a negotiated settlement that would lead to a referendum on self-determination, while urging protesters to remain peaceful and law-abiding.
It warned that further aggression against peaceful Biafrans could worsen the situation, stressing that dialogue, not force, remains the path to lasting peace.
