- Slams police over clampdown threat
From JEFF AMECHI AGBODO, Onitsha
INDIGENOUS People of Biafra (IPOB) has slammed the Inspector-General of Police Mr. Solomon Arase over an order to his men to clampdown on its members and disarm pro-Biafra agitators in Delta and Anambra States.
The group had clashed with security agents on Monday during the 30th anniversary of Biafra during which many lives were lost and scores injured.
In their reactions to the IGP order to deal decisively with IPOB members, spokespersons of the group, Dr. Clifford Iroanya and Mr. Emma Mmezu accused the police boss of alleging that IPOB members were armed and undertook premeditated attacks on police officers which they said was a lie.
According to Iroanya, “I hope Mr. Solomon Arase is aware that there is a case of genocide already hanging on his head at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague—Netherlands and it will worsen his case with this spewing of lies against IPOB.
“How can the Police disarm people who are not armed in the first place? By the way, did the police disarm Buhari’s men who go by the name Fulani herdsmen? How come you never issued any order when Buhari’s armed gang called Fulani herdsmen massacred thousands of Biafrans in Agatu, Nimbo, Aba, and other areas in Biafraland?
“Can IGP provide any proof that Biafrans attacked police personnel and at what point in time did this so-called ‘resurgence disorder’ come into existence? Probably he is trying to make the job easier for DSS who have been looking for the “smokine gun“ with which they will convince the trial judge that IPOB is a violent organization so that the judge will uphold charge #2 in the case against the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“How many of Fulani herdsmen who massacred men, women, and children in Biafraland have the police arrested? So, are you always aware of the fact that the so-called Fulani herdsmen are moving freely with AK-47 assault rifles?”
The IBOP spokespersons further posed questions for the IGP to answer. “Why are you not arresting them or are they a special breed of Nigerians who are above the law? Why are you turning around this case of murder against your policemen to make it look like it was the unarmed Biafrans that were doing the killings? It will interest Mr. Arase to know that the Head of Directorate of State of IPOB discussed the upcoming May 30th Heroes‘ Remembrance Day with the Commissioner of Police (CP) in Anambra, Hosea Karma, and then followed it up with a letter.
“It is a shame that Solomon Arase is displaying crass incompetence and ignorance by lying that IPOB members were armed and that they attacked Nigerian policemen. Perhaps , he would have saved himself this embarrassment by conducting thorough investigation and checking with the CP in Anambra state.
“Mr. IGP Arase, you are aware of the menace of Boko Haram, the serial killings of Biafrans by Fulani herdsmen, and the extra-judicial killings of Biafrans by Nigerian security outfits, yet you have failed to issue a single order on them.
“But you issued tissues of lies which you called press statement even after your policemen and Nigerian soldiers killed unarmed Biafrans some of them in their sleep inside a church as they prepared to remember their fallen heroes and some of these fallen heroes were similarly killed by Buhari in 1968 at Owerri.
“The restoration of the nation of Biafra is an ideology and no human being born of a woman has ever defeated or exterminated an ideology. For those of you who participate in the wanton killing of Biafrans, there shall be consequences and the boundary of these consequences is limitless and can include members of your family both immediate and extended. No one takes a Biafran life and gets away scot-free”, they warned.