The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said its spokesman, Emma Powerful, and Commanders of the Eastern Security Network, ESN, do not threaten people to support the group with money or join them.
In a statement he signed, Powerful said those extorting people are behind the sit-at-home enforcement, urging the public to report scammers using his name and ESN Commanders to defraud people.
He urged the public to report such phone numbers to the appropriate authorities.
“The attention of the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the great and indefatigable leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU has been drawn to some agents of darkness calling and threatening some people to give them money using the name of our Media and Publicity Secretary Comrade Emma Powerful.
“The public should ignore the impersonators and also report such phone numbers to the appropriate authorities.
“Neither Comrade Emma Powerful nor IPOB members or ESN operatives call and threaten people for money. IPOB or ESN commanders have never coarsed anyone for support. Even the registered IPOB family members are not forced to give money to the movement. Those doing such evil are autopilot members led by criminal Simon Ekpa. Everything IPOB does is purely voluntary, not by threat or compulsion. IPOB doesn’t encourage any form of criminality.
“Our people should be very careful because neither Comrade Emma Powerful, nor any member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) can call anyone and threaten him or her to donate money for the struggle. IPOB restoration movement and struggle is funded by IPOB members globally and others who identify with the Biafra cause.
“These criminals and impersonators claiming to be ESN Commanders always threaten unsuspecting individuals and victims with violence if they fail to give them money for IPOB and ESN. No ESN commander can do such.
“Our people should be careful and record any details of the callers who force them to give money with the name of Emma Powerful or any IPOB Officer or ESN commander. When you receive such a call, send the phone details to security agencies or ESN camps. Meanwhile, the public can contact and report the caller’s details to IPOB through our inquiry lines
+61 434 294 745 Or +41 779 069 681.
“IPOB members, volunteers, and ESN are mandated to track and identify the impersonators who claimed to be Emma Powerful, threatening people for money. The impersonators are no longer satisfied with the kidnapping money and threatening people with ESN’s name and Commanders but are adding others as well.
“They have adopted a new strategy of blackmailing IPOB principal officers by using their names for scams. When any of the impersonators are identified and apprehended, “he or she will see what fire does with the ear of a mouse.” Those involved in this latest blackmail and scam using the name of Emma Powerful and this noble IPOB movement should retrace their steps or face the wrath of IPOB.
“For emphasis sake, Comrade Emma Powerful, does NOT call and threaten anyone to support IPOB. That’s childish and cowardice.
“We don’t intimidate or threaten people to support IPOB. The public should take note and avoid falling into a scam from faceless criminals and impersonators organised from far away Finland to be humiliating our people. Where is the money gotten from kidnapping and snatching of cars from our innocent people.”
