The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says it does not have any intention, let alone, plans to attack Northerners resident in the Eastern region in the name of reprisal attacks.
In a statement issued in Umuahia and signed by its Media and Publicity Director, Emma Powerful, IPOB was forced to repeat this position publicly, due to pressures from elders and leaders, describing IPOB as not a violent organization, pointing out “We are a peace loving mass movement, with branches in 98 countries, desirous of freedom from a ruthless, tyrannical oppressor who has held us down for decades.
“Our prayer to be free, to determine our future and that of our children is legitimate and divine. We don’t have any reason whatsoever to attack and kill people in cold blood. We were mindlessly mowed down in Port Harcourt, Onitsha Obodo-Ukwu Road, Onitsha Bridge head while praying at a school compound in Aba. We endured all with equanimity. Those who killed and buried hundreds of our members suddenly turned around to falsely accuse us of killing five of their kinsmen, the whole world rose in our defense. We can never get down low to kill people in cold blood. We are not animals.
“As we steadfastly march towards freedom, we hope to maintain friendly relations and cordial trade agreements with our neighbours. We don’t plan to create a hostile environment for our emerging new nation. Moreover, it has never been our nature to attack and kill people in cold blood.
“Those calling us and pleadings with us to cancel our threats and ultimatums, should know, that we never issued any ultimatum after the Uzo-Uwani massacres. They should therefore direct their pleas to rabble rousers and agent provocateurs who found their voices only after the Uzo-Uwani massacre, and who are merely playing to the gallery in order to be noticed. Most of them are sponsored by local politicians to issue threats and ultimatums in the hope that the presidency which has ignored them will invite them to plead with their youths to sheathe their swords. An old game they usually play in pursuit of relevance”, they said
IPOB said when the Federal Government complied with their one and only ultimatum, about the Ugwuleshi 76, two hours before the expiration of our 72-hours order, the non-existent groups were dumb, deaf and mute, but suddenly forwarded their voices now, “only to issue threats left, right and center. We are too big to flow with the madding crowd”.
According to him, “IPOB worldwide does not engage in rabble rousing, we are not planning any attacks, we are committed to a peaceful dissolution of this prison, where some people erroneously believe they are born to rule us, where there is suffering in the midst of plenty, where an unworkable structure is imposed on 180 million people, where ethnic hatred reigns, where “Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop.”
