Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday, denied the allegation of threat to former Minister of Finance, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, following the bomb explosion that destroyed his house at Ebem Ohafia, Abia State.
The group described the allegation as laughable, saying IPOB had never met with him and do not intend to meet with him for any reason.
In a statement, the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, said that linking the group with the bomb explosion in Kalu’s house was the antics of its detractors that were bent on tarnishing the image of the organisation to justify the tag of terror on the group.
Powerful said IPOB has mandated its team of lawyers to commence a legal action to compel Kalu to come under oath to substantiate his allegations.
He said that IPOB would sue Kalu for defamation and libel so as to serve as a warning to any other person or group of persons hoping to use the name of the organisation to gain undue relevance.
The statement read: “We note with grave concern the orchestrated and coordinated attempt by certain unscrupulous Lagos based Igbo men who may have run out of money to fund their bogus lifestyle to use IPOB to endear themselves to their Fulani masters. The comment reported in Saturday Sun newspaper of May 5, 2018, credited to Kalu Idika Kalu is lamentable because IPOB has never met him and do not intend to meet with him for any reason.
“For him to mouth this gibberish to journalists confirms what we have already suspected that certain Igbo politicians under the control of the caliphate are hell-bent on destroying the popular agitation for freedom championed by IPOB.
“We have today instructed our lawyers to with immediate effect, commence a high powered legal action at Abia State High Court compelling Kalu Idika Kalu to come under oath to substantiate his allegations. We are suing him for defamation and libel to serve as a warning to any efulefu hoping to use the sacred name of IPOB to gain undue relevance in Nigeria.”
It added: “Isn’t it bizarre that the said residence of Kalu Idika Kalu is beside Ohafia military barracks; so how come the army never reported any explosion neither did the police make any statement before today? The said incident was said to have occurred about March 29, 2018 so how come it’s only now that he’s making a public statement? Who in his right mind will believe such nonsense?
“We know the race is on to perfect another invasion and occupation of Biafraland courtesy of the antics of some of these useless saboteurs that litter Igboland. One thing we are promising them is that their plans will never work. Who knows, one day they may say IPOB is responsible for Fulani herdsmen attacks.
“We challenge anybody to come and tell the world if IPOB has ever approached them in private or public to solicit for funding or moral support before. IPOB has recognised footprint all over the world. We raise our funds in the Diaspora not through Nigerian government agents and arch saboteurs in Ohanaeze Ndigbo resident in Lagos or Abuja.
“We will never soil our hands by dinning with contaminated shameless quislings that have spent their whole lives serving their Fulani masters from the North. The idea that Kalu Idika Kalu said IPOB approached him for financial support confirms that he is a natural born liar. We shall see him in court to tell us where, when and how.”