The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has chastised Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng, for allegedly linking its members and members of its armed branch, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), to criminal activity in the state and other parts of Southeast Nigeria.
According to IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the Nigeria Police Force has a history of pressuring criminals to confess to being members of IPOB or ESN.
The separatist group called the purported police conduct “absurd and unprofessional.”
“We wonder how Nigeria police keep ridiculing themselves by linking innocent members of IPOB to criminal activities because of their hatred and blackmail agenda against IPOB,” the secessionist group led by jailed Nnamdi Kanu said.
“The Nigerian police’s use of the media to blackmail IPOB for crimes they committed is insane.” They offer their claims without inquiry, which is a sign of cowardice.
“How come those criminals who have confessed to being members of IPOB or ESN are never arraigned in court in public?” This belittles the professionalism of the Nigeria Police Force.
“For the record, neither IPOB members nor ESN Operatives engage in criminal activity.”
The group stated that none of the offenders apprehended belonged to IPOB, but that “the Nigeria Police fabricates their own news in order to blackmail our peaceful movement.”
“It is public knowledge that some of the criminal gangs arrested thus far have members who are serving as police officers or have been fired as police officers.”
“Nigeria Police is fully aware of IPOB’s innocence, but they run to the media and link us with any criminal activities in Biafra Land because of an agenda to blackmail, demonise, and get IPOB internationally proscribed,” IPOB said.
The people behind kidnappings in Anambra and other regions of the Southeast, according to IPOB, are not its members or ESN operatives.
“The Nigeria Police knew who the real criminals were,” it said.
It accused the government of seeking down its members “for defending our lands against invading Fulani terrorists dubbed herdsmen.”
“We cannot be kidnapping and committing crimes against the same Biafrans we are protecting at the same time.”
“It demonstrates the evil agenda of the Nigerian Police Force for Anambra State Police Commissioner to name IPOB and ESN members as responsible for the kidnapping at Neni even though the criminals have been arrested.”
“Once again, IPOB and ESN are focused on defending our lands from terrorists and restoring Biafra as an independent state, not terrorising our own people,” the statement continued.
