The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has dismissed claims that the camps raided by the Nigerian Army belonged to the security arm of the group, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The separatist group said contrary to what the army claims, the camps they raided a few days ago belonged to criminals, and those they paraded are not members of ESN.
OsunDailyNG recounts that the Nigerian Army on Monday said that its troops of 302 Regiment operating under the 82 Division in conjunction with the Anambra State Vigilante Group on Sunday raided and destroyed camps allegedly belonging to fighters of the IPOB/ESN in Oroma and Umuewelum Anam in the Anambra West Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement signed by the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, on Monday, the troops during the raid arrested “eight brigands and recovered one AK-47 rifle, one AKMS rifle, three Lexus SUVs and two motorcycles.”
Onyema also noted that in a separate operation, troops raided an alleged IPOB camp at Mmiata Anam in the Anambra South Local Government Area of the state where “the troops came in contact with the irredentist group and the encounter, neutralized one IPOB fighter, while another was captured alive.”
He confirmed that the troops also recovered one AK-47 rifle, a dane gun, and police uniforms.
However, the IPOB has denied that the camps raided by the troops of the Nigerian Army do not belong to its outfit.
In a statement by the IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the claim by the army was targeted at tarnishing its image.
Powerful noted that “It is a common practice that many notorious contracted criminals and infiltrators are using Nnamdi Kanu’s name in their nefarious activities. Some of these criminals are government covert narcissists who were paid to blackmail Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB’s peaceful movement.
“We know them, and we have used all means available to expose and disassociate from them, yet that wouldn’t stop the government from linking IPOB to these criminals.
“IPOB volunteers and ESN operatives are not criminals. Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB detest criminality. Every sensible and uncompromised Biafran, including members of Eastern Vigilante groups, know that IPOB members and ESN operatives are peaceful and not responsible for criminalities in the East.
“Those kidnapping for ransom and snatching cars are not IPOB or ESN members. IPOB volunteers and ESN operatives are very disciplined and loyal to the IPOB leadership and hence, can’t misbehave on duty.
“The criminals arrested in those camps who were or would be paraded as IPOB or ESN are either common criminals or the infiltrators who will be forced to claim that they are IPOB or ESN members.
“We encourage Nigeria security agencies to continue fishing out those behind the insecurity ravaging the Southeast Region. We are in support of every action that will guarantee the security of lives and properties of Biafrans. We demand a stop to desperate but failed efforts to blackmail us by linking IPOB and ESN operatives to the activities of criminals in the East.”
