A former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Abia state, Umeh Kalu, SAN, has accused the Nigerian army of planting bombs in Southeast and blaming members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) for it.
Kalu was reacting to a statement issued on Monday by the Nigerian army claiming that troops on a special exercise have thwarted an attempt by members of the IPOB and ESN to unleash mayhem on residents of Mgbidi and Awo Mmamma communities in Orlu LGA of Imo State.
The military claimed a swift response by the troops compelled the attackers mounted on two sienna buses and a Toyota Hilux truck to abandon their mission and withdrew in disarray, adding that four Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by the group along Orlu-Owerri road have been uncovered.
But Umeh Kalu accused the Army of masterminding planting of IEDs across the Southeast region and framing innocent members of the IPOB and ESN for it just to nail Maazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB.
He spoke on Tuesday at his residence while playing host to visitors amongst who were members of his School’s Old Boys Association, friends and political associates from Abia state who were on a private visit to his home.
Kalu said: “Can the military go ahead and provide number of arrests made following the supposed busting of the ghost attackers? How come no single arrest was said to have been made by the all-powerful Nigerian army?
“This is simply a comic relief from the Army and nothing more. Where are the two Sienna buses and Toyota Hilux truck the military claimed the attackers came in? None was retrieved by the troops from the attackers? What a comedy!
“The Military simply planted IEDs themselves, went ahead to retrieve the IEDs that have no life in it claiming to have successfully diffused it just to appear to be working and appease their pay-masters.”
The former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice warned the military to stop attacking the good people of Southeast and framing innocent members of IPOB and ESN for it, insisting that IPOB was made up of a peace-loving people.
“We have been raising alarms over the illegal activities of the Nigerian army in Southeast of recent and nothing has been done or said by the leaders and governors of Southeast. Innocent lives have been wasted all in the name of exercise Golden Dawn.”
He said if such continues, he will be forced to let the world know how the Military has been going about supervising coordinated attacks and killings in Southeast in collaboration with sister agencies and blaming IPOB for it.
“Enough is enough, the Nigerian military should stop this show of shame and stop stooping so low all in a bid to show force where there is none. They are more needed in the terrorists ravaged Northeast region and not Southeast where there are no cases of terrorists or bandits,” Kalu chided the Army.
