Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said that if Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe was arrested simply by standing surety for its leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and accused him of supporting IPOB, then all those that stood surety for murderers, kidnappers, rapists etc were equally guilty of the offence as charged.
IPOB said that the move against Sen. Abaribe by the Department of State Services (DSS), makes a nonsense of the Nigerian judicial process and mockery of the law, wondering if standing surety for an individual is tantamount to supporting that person’s cause? .
The group warned, “So, Senator Abaribe must be released within the next 48 hours, and if Senator Abaribe is not released before 6:00p.m tomorrow (Monday 25) IPOB will call for a day of rage against the fascist government of Nigeria and her agents in the South-East and South-South. Let Britain and the rest of the civilised world not say they were not warned.”
A statement by the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful said that the only plausible reason he was arrested was because of his alleged public exposure of N30 billion budget fraud perpetrated by the APC government, stressing the fact that no amount of blackmail with the name of IPOB would ever eradicate the truth.
Powerful said, “Attempting to link Senator Abaribe to the fanciful concoction of proscribed organisation, guns and terrorism is a cheap and tacky attempt, designed to appeal to the base instinct of those core northerners opposed to the idea of self determination as championed by IPOB”.
“It is a well known and documented fact that politicians in the East do not support IPOB or Biafra. This is well known to everyone, not hidden. How can the same politicians that despised IPOB to the point of instigating Operation Python Dance that resulted in the death of hundreds of IPOB family members suddenly turn around and start supporting IPOB in secret. The strength of IPOB lies in the truth it preaches, it’s global structure, internal discipline and the grace of God not man”.
“This is not the first time the government have sought to tamper with a judicial process. Senator Abaribe is due in court on Tuesday 26 June 2018 on bond forfeiture hearing before Justice Binta Nyako, so why arresting him before his day in court? Is it because the government is seeking to protect the army, who in all probability will be found in contempt of court, for invading the home of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on September 14, 2017 with lethal force? Weeks before his court appearance in court in Abuja. These are well digested facts in public domain, supported by video evidence. No amount of intimidation by DSS can sweep this incriminating fact under the carpet”.
“Our leader have always said that every South East and South South politician serving Nigeria will return home in shame unless they turn around now and start campaigning for self determination. We are certain that if not for the immunity conferred on his office, Governor Nyesom Wike by now will be in detention answering to one frivolous charge or the other,” Powerful stated.