IPOB PRESS RELEASE 3/6/2024.

1. The military has confirmed the killing of 5 soldiers and 6 other civilians by IPOB, your thoughts on this, sir.

Response.

We condemn the attack on the military at Aba, Abia State on 30th May, 2024. Though, the Nigerian Army erroneously accused IPOB for the attack and killing of their colleagues. I can authoritatively confirm with you that IPOB is not responsible for the said attack. We are innocent of the accusations from the Nigeria Army. However, we are not perturbed because the Nigerian Army is at the forefront of blackmailing IPOB. It may not be out of place for the Nigeria Army to collude with criminals to attack their own soldiers at Aba just to blackmail IPOB and desecrate the Biafra Heroes Day. We have seen it happen in Imo State and Anambra States. By the way, how come the Nigeria Army concluded investigation within 15 hours of the attack and concluded that it was IPOB that carried out the attack? We challenge them to make the results of their investigation public.
It is imperative for the Nigeria military, Nigerians, and the International Community to understand that Biafra agitation anchored by IPOB has been peaceful irrespective of provocative actions of the Nigerian Security Forces. Globally, the IPOB movement has been peaceful without any criminal or violent records. But in Nigeria, we are being blackmailed continually by the oppressive government in Nigeria and her security forces. On 30th May, 2024, IPOB family members and Biafrans sat at home mourning their fallen heroes, hence had no business attacking soldiers who were not in any way a threat to our civil disobedience (sit-at-home). IPOB is not violent and has no hands in the attack and murder of Nigerian soldiers and civilians at Aba, Abia State on Biafra Heroes Day.

2. The Nigerian Army has also promised to retaliate the attack on its troops. What are your views?

Response :

It is the hubby of the Nigerian Army to kill innocent people. They never go after armed criminals, particularly those who were sponsored to impersonate IPOB and ESN. The Nigerian Security Forces will allow the assailants to attack successfully, after which they return to the communities and lunch counter offense on the innocent civilians. Nigerian Army is notorious in illegal abduction and massacre of civilians in retaliation after they lost battle to armed criminals, particularly in Biafra Land. Instead of using intelligence gathering to go after armed criminals, they will bounce on the innocent unarmed civilians they were meant to protect. Sadly, the Nigerian Army never massacre civilians and destroys homes of civilians in the Northern region where terrorists and bandits murder them constantly. IPOB calls on the Nigerian Army to be professional. They should go after the assailants and leave innocent IPOB members and Biafrans civilians alone. Blackmailing IPOB with sponsored murder will not stop
Biafra agitation. Moreso, the Nigerian government should shun the agenda of using sponsored attacks to scuttle the development going on in Abia State. IPOB calls on Abia State Governor to be on guard.

3. On whose order is IPOB acting? President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has stated that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was not in support of the sit-at- home order.

Response:

The 30th of May is a BIAFRA HEROES REMEMBERANCE DAY. It was initiated by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB worldwide as an annual event to honor fallen Biafra heroes and heroines. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not against the sit-at-home of
May 30th in respect of BIAFRA HEROES REMEMBERANCE DAY. Recall that prior to the bloody massacre of IPOB Members by murderous Nigeria Security Agencies in Aba, Anambra and other cities in May 30th 2016, IPOB conducts open rally in commemoration of the Biafra Fallen heroes Rememberance across Biafran Land. But, due to the brutal military massacre during IPOB’s, peaceful rallies, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and IPOB leadership decided to adopt sit-at-home as a civil disobedience strategy to remember our fallen heroes and heroines.
Biafra Independence is a just cause because of the unabated injustice and persecution of Ndigbo in Nigeria. Mind you, IPOB did not restrict people’s freedom and movement on 30th May. Biafrans voluntarily heeded IPOB’s appeal for one day sit-at-home to honour Biafran Heroes and heroines. There was no enforcement of any kind. It is a fact that if Biafrans go on the street to honour their heroes in their own way, the over zealous and ethnic bigotry triger happy Nigerian Security Forces will gun them down at any slightest provocations. IPOB, being the only reliable and trusted State Actor in Biafra Land, understands how barbaric Nigerian Security Forces can be decided to advise Biafrans to sit-at-home and honor our heroes. For instance, the sponsored attack on Soldiers at Aba last 30th May would have been an opportunity for the Nigeria murderous Army to massacre our people and blame it on IPOB and ESN if that day was not a sit-at-home. The mention of Biafra alone can provoke the murderous Nigeria Security Forces to kidnap or shoot Biafrans.
IPOB understands that we are dealing with a brutal and repressive Government, therefore, the safety and security of our people were considered before asking our people to sit-at-home on Biafra Heroes Day.

7. Are all the South-Easterners in support of the IPOB agitation for a separate Biafra.

Response:

What happened at the just concluded May 30th Biafra Heroes Day celebration in all the Eastern regions will tell you that our people support IPOB led Biafra agitation. If the Nigerian government thinks otherwise, they should organise a referendum or plebiscite to confirm.

8. The call for self-determination has no place in the constitution. Shouldn’t this then be channeled to the NASS, which the law states is the right platform for such discussions, why the streets.

Response:

Self-determination is enshrined in the international law of the United Nations, domesticated and ratified by the African Charter. Many nations, including Nigeria, are signatories to the UN and African Charter. Nigeria has an obligation to abide by the international laws they signed into. Therefore, self-determination is part of the Nigerian Constitution. Since the Nigerian government has refused to obey international laws and theirown laws, IPOB chose the use of civil disobedience as one of the measures to pursue this self-determination project by the Indigenous People of Biafra worldwide.

COMRADE EMMA POWERFUL, MEDIA, AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY FOR IPOB.