The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Saturday said it is disappointed that human rights group, Amnesty International (AI) is responsible for the killings in the South East region of Nigeria ravaged by sporadic destruction of lives and property.
IPOB, in a statement by its Spokesperson, Emma Powerful, described the allegation as unsubstantiated, unfounded and “very disappointing indeed.”
The outlawed secessionist group said it has not mandated anyone to monitor or enforce its “Ghost Mondays” Sit-at-Hone order, saying that anyone purporting to represent its interest “is not from IPOB.”
According to the statement, “it is baffling that a reputable global organisation like Amnesty International will condescend into making statements without investigations. How did Amnesty International arrive at its conclusion that IPOB is responsible for the killings in South East?
“In case Amnesty International has forgotten, let it be reminded that IPOB had suspended its earlier order for Ghost Mondays before hooligans sponsored by politicians hijacked the exercise to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens under the guise of enforcing the suspended order just to implicate IPOB and we still stand by that order and decision that Monday sit at home has been suspended. Anybody purporting to enforce Sit-At-Home on Monday is not from IPOB. Last week murder because of enforcement of sit at home by angry mob in Mbaise Imo State was not IPOB family member, so Amnesty International must verify information before making pronouncements to the public.
“Again, is Amnesty International aware that Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra State has accused his fellow South East Governors of sponsoring the killings in his State? How will it be IPOB that is behind the killings and the governor with all the intelligence at his disposal will still be pointing accusing fingers at his fellow governors? Or is Amnesty International suggesting that South East Governors are now members and sponsors of IPOB?
“Why is Amnesty International beginning to drift away from its respected position as fearless Rights defender? We understand its predicament having come under fire and pressure by the oppressive Fulani controlled federal government of Nigeria over its critical stance against the government’s excesses. But it’s not enough to jolt the reputable organization into making unsubstantiated utterances.
“Amnesty International were you not seeing the numerous attacks and killings going on in Awka Etiti Community, how Nigeria army murdered brother and sister who were coming back from mortuary where they deposited the lifeless body of their mother, Nigeria security agents shot them dead and one innocent young man at Izombe Community who stood at the front of his compound was murdered today by Nigeria army and burnt his house at Izombe village in Oguta LGA Imo State.
“Nigeria army burnt down more than 50 houses and property worth of #500m at Izombe Community in Oguta LGA, Amnesty International never seen the barbarity going on in Imo State now, they will come out and talk unsubstantiated statement about IPOB that we are behind the killings and attacks going on in South East. Nigeria army burning properties in that area, IPOB will never succumb to their threat because we knew that they are not Nigeria army but Fulani jihadists soldiers disguised as Nigeria army and they are here for mission we know their antics.
“We want the global world to see and understand how Nigeria soldiers and other security agents were killing innocent citizens in Biafraland, they derived joy in killing people of Biafra because Biafrans didn’t allow Fulani to take over our ancestral land Nigeria army is giving them support to eliminate our people. Fulani terrorists with Nigeria army were eliminating anybody seen as a young men in Biafraland, Amnesty International should explain why Nigeria army should murder innocent citizens, this is another round of Fulani terrorists herdsmen in play. Nigeria army and Fulani killing those youths suspected will stop them when they will come and take our land by force.
“Hope Uzodinma created crisis in the state and the region and brought in army to come and kill the remaining innocent citizens in the south East, the world should take note of this atrocities going on and leave IPOB alone because we are innocent of these allegations labelled against us. Amnesty International shine your eyes because the vampires are on the prowl.”