The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Monday vowed to stop the “incessant killing of innocent citizens in Imo State” which it blamed on the Ebubeagu security militia under the command of the State government.
In a statement by its Spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB said Ebubeagu has derailed from its objective of stopping criminal activities into a “murderous outfit” whose focus is now to “harass, intimidate and depopulate innocent Igbo youths, which they have been doing unchallenged for a while now.”
IPOB accused them of conducting “illegal arrest of people and extort hundreds of thousands of Naira as ransom before their hapless victims are freed.”
The group said that as part of “its social contract to secure our people’s lives and property,” it is now going forward to the “murderous Ebubeagu from further maiming, and killing of our people and destroying their properties.”
The full statement reads: “Following the incessant killing of innocent citizens in Imo state by the Ebubeagu militia formed by Supreme Court Administrator of Imo State Hope Uzodinma, we the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU wish to state unequivocally and openly to all and sundry that IPOB is about to unleash its venom on the terrorist Ebubeagu for the countless massacre of our people especially in Imo state.
“IPOB is very much aware that the murderous members of Ebubeagu were drafted from militants from the Coastal part of Biafra (South South), fulani bandits and some notorious crimininal Igbo boys. The objective for the creation of this murderous outfit is not to stop crimininal activities but to harass, intimidate and depopulate innocent Igbo youths, which they have been doing unchallenged for a while now. This evil outfit conduct illegal arrest of people and extort hundreds of thousands of Naira as ransom before their hapless victims are freed.
“Those who are not able to raise the thousands demanded of them for their freedom are killed. This murderous militia take as much as N500,000 from their unfortunate victims. We have evidences of those they extorted to bail themselves with such exhobitant amount before they were freed.
“The Imo State people’s choice Governor was upturned by Fulani controlled judiciary in favour of Hope Uzodimma to do this dirty job of slaughtering our innocent youths and destroying our people’s properties. Hope have used Ebubeagu to kill and destroy so many lives and homes in Imo State that it has become mind boggling and has to be stopped. The recent killing in Ugbele Izombe in Oguta LGA can only be discribed as a genocide and we won’t allow such to continue in Biafraland.
“IPOB has kept quiet for so long and have appealed to Hope Uzodima to disband the blood sucking demons he created but all to no avail. Now it has become obvious to us that Hope Uzodinma and his masters are spilling the blood of our people for diabolical reasons in addition to the depopulation of Imo youths agenda. IPOB have responsibility to defend our people and our land against invading terrorists. We are therefore declaring every Ebubeagu member a persona non-granta in Igboland. Going forward,
“IPOB Leadership has given a matching Order to ESN volunteers to go after the murderous Ebubeagu group and stop them from killing our people. Few weeks ago the Ebubeagu militias murdered 14 innocent Imo youths coming back from traditional wedding in Awo-Mmamma.
“Ebubeagu invaded Izombe town in Oguta LGA of IMO State at the early hours of Saturday being the 6th of August, 2022, shooting sporadically at innocent people without any reason or provocation and killing two people on the spot in the process. So many were matcheted and others sustained degree of gun shot injuries. They abducted over 30 people, took away some cash that belongs to some local traders and even their goods.
“The most worrisome part of it is that, they abducted some masquarades (Okorosha festival men) which is an abomination in Igbo culture ( because Ebubeagu members are alien to Igbo culture). In the end, several houses, vehicles, motorcycles and shops were burnt down.
“These terrorist group called Ebubeagu have rendered many children orphans and made many women untimely widows and childless while at the same time rendering them homeless. This babaric killings must stopped and the killers and their sponsors must answer for their crimes against humanity.
“It is on record that governor Hope Uzodinma boasted of inviting the military to kill those people he pretends to be governing. It is so pathetic and heart rendering that Imo indigenes have refused to call Hope Uzodinma and his APC co-travellers and its killing squad to order. The worst is that when they kill they blame it on IPOB and ESN operatives. It’s unfortunate that Imo State Traditional Rulers and stakeholders in Imo state have remained mute while Hope Uzodinma’s militia in collaboration with the DSS and Police murder Imo State youths at will.
“What kind of man is Hope Uzodinma? A vicious and blood sucking vampire in Imo State. How did Imo citizens offend you that you derived joy in killing your supposed subjects? Other Governors in Nigeria protect their people. We know that APC Party is a killer party and your are the henchman of your party in Igbo land.
“We want to remind Hope Uzodima that IPOB has a social contract to secure our people’s lives and property. Therefore, going forward ESN has the responsibility to stop your murderous Ebubeagu from further maiming, and killing of our people and destroying their properties. That we shall do by the grace of Chukwu Okike Abiama. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.”
