By Tony Okafor, Awka
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned attacks on offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the South-East.
The pro-Biafra group stated this on Monday in a statement by its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful.
Describing the perpetrators of such acts as criminal gangs sponsored by politicians, the secessionists said such hoodlums were sponsored by top polititcians.
Restating that IPOB had no interest in Nigerian elections, the secessionist group said people should stop linking it in anything patterning to Nigerian activities.
The group said, “We under the amazing and able Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu condemn the recent attacks on INEC offices and staff in Ihiala LGA, Anambra State. The criminal gangs operating within Ihiala LGA, Orsuihiteukwa in Orsu LGA, are primarily funded and sponsored by unscrupulous politicians to demonize IPOB and ESN Operatives.
“IPOB maintains that we have no interest in the selection process called Nigeria election. Hence, we refrained from making any statement concerning the Jamboree. Our only demand is a referendum date for Biafrans to decide their political social and economic future either in united Nigeria or Independent Biafra Nation.
“IPOB and ESN operatives did not ask any group to attack INEC facilities for whatever reason, neither did we issue any sit-at-home order within the election period.
“Anybody linking IPOB to the malicious sit-at-home order must be very ignorant. IPOB has its own channels to disemminate information, which are through Radio Biafra programs, through our Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, or through an official IPOB memo signed by the Head of the Directorate Of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Chika Edoziem. Any IPOB public information that is not from the above-mentioned channels should be disregarded.
“We urge our people not to pay attention to any fake information purporting to link IPOB to criminal activities of infiltrators and collaborators. IPOB volunteers and ESN Operatives will make Biafraland very uncomfortable to criminal gangs paid to intimidate our people and blackmail our peaceful movement.
“Nigeria Security Agencies who have been aiding, abetting and supporting these criminals recruited and funded by politicians must stay clear because we will unleash our venom on those who want to blackmail IPOB.
“The task ahead is enormous, and our enemies are relentlessly exploiting every means to destroy IPOB through this election, but we won’t allow them to continue in their obnoxious plan to destroy IPOB and ESN Operatives and derail our freedom match.
“The attacks on INEC facilities within this period are not supported by IPOB, because that will not add any positive value to our struggle. We are only seeking Biafra freedom through peaceful means and not through violence. “
