Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has replied to the Federal Government of Nigeria and Northern Nigeria-based daily newspaper, over their allegation that it killed an Igbo Muslim Cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim Iyiorji in Ebonyi State.
IPoB, in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful entitled, “IPoB does not know Sheikh Iyiorji, let alone who killed him” said that it does not kill its known enemies let alone killing an Igbo man who is not in any way threat to it.
The proscribed pro-Biafra group said that the important questions the Nigeria Federal Government and Northern Nigeria owned and based newspaper, should answer are, “why will IPOB kill an Igbo Islamic Cleric, and whether the alleged killed Islamic Cleric was a threat to the Biafra movement, and how many of IPoB’s known enemies have been killed in the past, let alone killing their own, irrespective of his religion?
IPoB’s statement read, “We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, under the leadership and command of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to disassociate ourselves from the alleged murder of a purported Muslim Cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim Iyiorji of Ebonyi State.
“We, therefore, warn Daily Trust media outlet owned by a Fulani man to stop propagating falsehood, fabricated statements, fallacies, and unconfirmed statements against IPOB worldwide.
“We wish to let other media houses assisting them in their desperation to tarnish the image of IPOB to beware of their evil reportage against IPoB known to be peaceful in all its dealings.
“IPOB does not engage in such barbaric killings and cannot be part of such heinous crime against humanity. IPOB does not kill flies talk of human beings and an Igbo man for that matter, irrespective of his religious belief.
“This Northern owned and based newspaper and other compromised media outlets being used by our enemies to tarnish our image, should leave IPOB alone, get focused and stop encouraging Nigeria compromised security agencies on their state-sponsored reportage against an innocent group, whose only crime is agitation for Biafra sovereignty. IPOB cannot be intimidated or harassed by its false propaganda.
“We are surprised that Nigeria’s Federal government has gone so low to the point of consulting witch doctors for the fake narrative to accuse IPOB. Is it that their zoological republic security agency’s intelligence is no longer working that they have to resort to consulting Witch Doctors for assistance?
“It is in the public domain that the Nigerian government and its security agencies went to a Witch Doctor in Cross River State to ascertain who allegedly murdered the Muslim Cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim Iyiorji. We gathered that after their visit, they came back with negative reports that IPOB killed the young man.
“The Important questions to be asked and answered by Nigerian Federal Government and the Northern owned and based Newspaper are, Why will IPOB kill the alleged Igbo Islamic Cleric?
Has he allegedly killed Igbo Cleric a threat to the Biafra movement? How many of our known enemies have we killed, let alone killing our own, an Igbo man.?
We are aware that some unscrupulous elements and petty thieves are constantly being stage-managed by S
security agents to lie against IPOB members and ESN operatives. We also understood that the Nigerian government and its compromised security agencies sometime in the recent past arranged to condemn hardened criminals from prisons and tutor them to claim that he is a member of IPOB and ESN.
“The young man was also told to claim to be both IPoB, ESN, and member of the unknown gunmen that killed many security agents and burnt down their Police Stations in the South Eastern Region, all in an attempt to lie and demonize IPOB.
“For instance, a few days ago, security agents arranged a certain young man in a viral video who claimed to be ESN operative at the same time an unknown gunman. When he was asked who their camp leader was, he said their leader is a Coordinator, is that not laughable?
The young man couldn’t even remember his rehearsal correctly. The young man who is a known petty thief around his town was caught when he stole a phone in Ihiala, Anambra State, and was later released. Also in 2020, he was caught in Nnewi where he stole a motorcycle. This is the kind of people Nigerian security agents parade as IPoB members and ESN operatives.
It is so shameful that the Nigerian Police in its desperation to tarnish the image of IPoB keeps making a mockery of themselves in a failed effort to tarnish the image of IPOB and ESN.
“We won’t accept stage managing criminals to tarnish the image of IPOB/ESN, not today and not ever. IPOB and ESN have never killed any Army officer, Police officer, or DSS operative despite all provocations in the name of unknown gunmen, We have never killed anybody since we started the pursuit for Biafra freedom, and we will not change to become killers, we abhor shedding innocent blood.
We in IPOB and ESN are not hiding our activities and can not be classified as unknown gunmen because we are not faceless or cowards. We are fearless before our enemies and those who engage in heinous crimes and evil activities against mankind.
“Anybody linking IPOB to this murderous attitude of the Nigerian government must be examined properly and investigated to the extent that his or her brain must be properly examined. We are IPOB and our only interested in protecting our people in our farmlands and bushes from invading Fulani terror! sts.”