The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Wednesday, called on relevant authorities to remove all illegal checkpoints across the Southeast.
Emma Powerful, the spokesman of IPOB, condemned the use of civilians and vigilante members by military officers as toll collectors at checkpoints.
Powerful said uncountable checkpoints in the Southeast are not only used for extortion of money at gunpoint but are also used for kidnapping, organ harvesting, and forceful disappearance of many Igbo youths.
A statement by Powerful reads: “The global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) condemn the use of civilians and some vigilante members by the Nigerian Military and Police at various checkpoints for toll collection.
“We are warning Biafran civilians and vigilante members to stay off the illegal checkpoints mounted by murderous Nigeria Security Forces in Biafra Land.
“IPOB has called for the removal of indiscriminate military and Police checkpoints mounted to harass and extort money from Biafrans. The uncountable checkpoints in Biafra Land are not only used for extortion of money at gunpoint but are also used for kidnapping, organ harvesting, and forceful disappearance of many Igbo youths.
“The new style of using vigilante security groups and civilians in Biafra Land by the Nigeria Security Forces at these illegal checkpoints to extort money from Biafrans is not acceptable.
“Therefore, IPOB is using this medium to warn Biafra civilians and vigilante members being used for extortion at these illegal checkpoints in Biafraland to stay off and STOP immediately.
“They should know that if it were to be a good job opportunity or official recruitment into the Nigeria Security Forces, they would not be considered worthy by the Fulani government of Nigeria. For any Igbo son or daughter to allow himself or herself to be used as a tool of suppression and extortion against his or her own people by the murderous Nigeria Security Forces means that the person in question is a compound fool.
“IPOB is against indiscriminate checkpoints, forceful extortion, and humiliation going on at these illegal checkpoints. Indiscriminate checkpoints across Biafra Land is an economic and security siege against Ndigbo.
“It’s a calculated policy to dehumanize, intimidate, kill, and destroy lives and properties in Alaigbo. Any Igbo son or daughter that is encouraging this security and economic strangulation using numerous checkpoints is devilish and wicked.”
