THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned the Nigerian Army against carrying out extra-judicial killings in the South-East while going after sit-at-home enforcers.
The warning followed an order issued by Chief of Army (COAS) Staff Taoreed Lagbaja, who directed troops of the Nigerian Army to go after hoodlums enforcing sit-at-home orders in the South-East.
The COAS issued the order after Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator Simon Ekpa ordered a two weeks sit-at-home in the South-East, starting from July 31.
IPOB reacted to the COAS’ directive in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful on Friday, July 14.
The group accused the Nigerian military of evil motives during previous interventions and added that attempts by the Army to invade the region would be resisted.
“The Nigeria Army uses every opportunity to extra-judicially murder Igbo people any time they are deployed to the East. That is why we object to their presence as much as we detest the malicious sit-at-home and violent enforcement from agent provocateurs. We oppose military interventions because they will be used to kill and destroy the livelihood of our people.
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“The Nigerian military must not use this as a conduit to illegally arrest, detain, and kill innocent Igbo youths, mothers, fathers, and even innocent IPOB members and ESN. IPOB members have no hands in the sit-at-home. We advocate that anyone caught violently enforcing the oppressive sit-at-home should be arrested, investigated, and their sponsors brought to book. The Nigerian military should not allow ethnic hatred and biases to becloud their professional ethics,” the statement read.
Powerful, again, dissociated IPOB from Ekpa, who heads a separate faction of the group.
He added that continuously linking IPOB to violent enforcement of sit-at-home orders across the region was blackmail.
“General Lagbaja and the government of Nigeria are aware of the man responsible for the violent enforcement of sit-at-home in the East. Why, then, are they shying away from accusing him? Instead, they prefer to unleash military mayhem on our people in the guise of going after sit-at-home enforcers.
“They know their camps, so why not visit them there and stop them and stop linking this peaceful IPOB agitation to their criminalities. If they are not behind Simon Ekpa, why haven’t they made any official complaints against him as a democratic government should?”
IPOB said the release of its leader Nnamdi Kanu who was arrested in 2021 and has remained in detention, would end the insecurity ravaging the region.
Enforcement of sit-at-home orders in the South-East has led to loss of lives, property and left adverse economic impacts on the region.
An investigation by The ICIR revealed that the region loses at least N4.6 trillion naira annually to Monday-sit-at-home orders.
Many Nigerians have criticised those enforcing the sit-at-home orders. Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections Peter Obi described them as criminals.
The Chief of Army Staff Lagbaja directed soldiers to raid IPOB hideouts and apprehend enforcers in the region. This directive came after the Ekpa-led faction of the group declared a two-week sit-at-home order to begin on July 31.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.
The order of COAS Lagbaja’ agains IPOB-ESN Terrories it’s good’ if Troops Neutralise their Camps across the South-east and South-south Criminal members they Should’t out to take Attack agains Innocent People’ I discuss with Simon Ekpa Via Facebook what he claim’ they want cause Religion Crisis across the Nation, and Shededblood of Innocent’ even I Ekpa told me Omar You will Dance of Death’ I told him You most facing Charges and those who help Internal and Foriegn! We knew who Supply Arms to you and your Corrupted Political and your Igbo Traditional Leaders, said Omar”
The order of COAS Lagbaja’ agains IPOB-ESN Terrories it’s good’ if Troops Neutralise their Camps across the South-east and South-south Criminal members they Should’t out to take Attack agains Innocent People’ I discuss with Simon Ekpa Via Facebook what he claim’ they want cause Religion Crisis across the Nation, and Shededblood of Innocent’ even I Ekpa told me Omar You will Dance of Death’ I told him You most facing Charges and those who help Internal and Foriegn! We knew who Supply Arms to you and your Corrupted Political and your Igbo Community Leaders, said Omar”