From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Contrary to insinuations that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are targetting non-indigenes, especially the Hausa communities in the Southeast, the group has specifically declared that they are not its enemy even as they have vowed to give them protection against attacks.
The group in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, also insisted that the violent attacks witnessed in the zone for quite some time now are not caused by its members, blaming it on their detracors who they said only wanted to rope them in so as to be labelled as a terrorist organisation and thereby prolonging the release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
He said: “We want to make it categorically clear to all and sundry that anybody committing any atrocity in Biafra land in the name of IPOB or ESN operative doesn’t want Biafra to come.
“Those behind this madness are working with the Nigerian security to criminalize IPOB. They must also be prepared to pay for their sins because we will not allow anyone who inflicts pains and sorrow on our people to go free.
“Kanu made holistic announcement during those days that Hausa are facing the same predicaments Igbo people are facing in Nigeria and should be allowed to do business anywhere they like in Biafra land.
“Biafrans shall never try to harm any Hausa man or woman in Biafra land for any reason. IPOB will ensure the protection of all persons living in Biafra land, including non-indigenes. We will continue to protect them against our common enemy – the jihadists and their sponsors.
“I wish to state unequivocally that those behind these atrocities are not IPOB members nor are they Eastern Security Network (ESN) operatives.
“The perpetrators are criminals recruited by our enemies to demonise us. No member of IPOB will engage in acts inimical to the people we are struggling to liberate. We are not terrorists and we cannot suddenly resort to terrorism.
“These agents of darkness behind these senseless and barbaric acts are the ones who don’t want our detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to be released. Their intension is to create the false impression that his followers are violent, but they are wrong.”