IPOB condemns killing of protesting members in Abia, threatens to retaliate against Nigerian government

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government and its security agencies to desist from the killing of its members in the South-East or be ready for the consequences.

IPOB gave the warning while condemning the killing of its members in Aba, Abia State on Friday by the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force when the secessionists were protesting to demand the immediate release of the group’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu from the custody of the Department of the State Services (DSS).

It had been reported that a team of security agents made up of soldiers and policemen on Friday shot dead five members of the IPOB who were peacefully protesting against the continued detention of Kanu.

The Abia State Command of the Nigeria Police Force had claimed that the protesters were killed because they attacked its operatives on patrol.

Reacting to the incident, IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said, “Evil men working with the retired Army General and politicians in Abia State should know that we are aware of those behind the murderous attacks on the peaceful protesters.”

According to IPOB, “More than 50 unarmed protesters were murdered in cold blood on Friday for simply asking the Nigerian government to obey its own court which ordered that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should be released unconditionally. At the last count, more than one hundred unarmed protesters are still missing while IPOB recovered about three bodies of our murdered youths.

“More than 30 protesters sustained one degree of bullet wound or the other. The Abia State Police Commissioner should release the bodies of the protesters they killed and took away in order to hide their crime against humanity to their families for proper and dignified burial.

“Nigerian Government and her security agencies must stop house to house searching for IPOB members and the world should take note of these atrocities against the innocent citizens of Aba, Abia State, the newly elected Governor and the present governor of Abia state must take notice and stop these atrocities happening right now in Abia State.”

“The newly elected Governor of Abia State should make it categorically clear to the unscrupulous elements around him to stay clear and allow him to lead Abia State to prosperity. Abia State cannot afford another set of insatiable, greedy, and self-seeking godfathers.”