Separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said that all criminal elements being sponsored to unleash terror on Igboland will flee if the federal government releases its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The group was reacting to a statement credited to the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Lagbaja Taoreed, where he blamed IPOB for the incessant and destructive sit-at-home orders and enforcement in the Southeast.
The group told the military chief that instead of linking violence to it, he should rather know that the violence was because of the absence of its leader, Kanu, adding that various illegal groups were using the incarceration of Kanu as a reason to unleash violence.
In a press release signed by its spokesperson, IPOB said: “If indeed the Nigeria government and her Security Agencies are interested in the peace of the Eastern Region, they should release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally as pronounced by the Appeal Court of Nigeria in Abuja, and see their sponsored criminal agents using Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s detention to perpetrate crime, fade away.”
The group further dissociated itself from violence and the enforcement of sit-at-home exercise, insisting that Simon Ekpa, a breakaway factional leader of the group was responsible.
“For the avoidance of doubt, IPOB is not responsible for Mondays nor failed 7-day and purported 2-week sit-at-home orders and enforcement.
“The reckless and abusive sit-at-home strategy is from the autopilot group led by Simon Ekpa. We have consistently made it known that Simon Ekpa and his autopilot group are not IPOB members and do not represent Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in their violent enforcement of sit-at-home orders.
“IPOB has remained peaceful, and when we the Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra, DOS, initiated a sit-at-home that autopilot hijacked and abused, we never enforced it.”
