From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Igbo separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has alleged that Nigerian security agents are secretly killing youths in the South East who are being labelled are members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
In a statement by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, many of the youths being implicated are cultists who are forced to claim that they are ESN members.
Powerful claimed that some suspects arrested by security agents recently in Mbaitoli, Imo State, were not members of the ESN.
The separatist spokesman, who said ESN members are still busy in the forests fighting terrorists, told the security agents can engage them there.
‘We have severally said that ESN stays in the forests where they are keeping their appointments with terrorists and killer herdsmen. Anyone looking for them should simply go to the forests and encounter them,’ the statement read.
‘Nigerian security agents should go to the bushes and face ESN they don’t operate on the streets of cities, they must understand that we defeated Miyetti Allah and its terrorist herdsmen in our territory and now they disguised as Nigeria army and police in uniforms attacking our people and we will defeat them the way we defeated Miyetti Allah in no distance future.
‘It is unfortunate that DCP Abba Kyari and co are killing cults members and forcing them to answer ESN and unknown gunmen, the man they are parading as ESN is not a cult member and can never be, two months ago the two groups of cultists fought and killed each other and burnt two members to ashes but, unfortunately, one of them was caught at Owerri by Abba Kyari and group and they tagged him ESN and unknown gunmen, what is absolutely wrong with Nigeria police and army in this country.
‘Because of this young man they were forced by police to answer ESN and unknown gunmen to deceive the gullible Nigerians who are not connected to information and attracted praises from the public.’ Powerful stated.
The proscribed Igbo group called on human rights groups, the international community and stakeholders around the world to intervene and save the Igbo youths, who he alleges are being extra-judiciously killed by authorities.
‘Nigerian security agencies led by DCP Abba Kyari have invaded three communities in Mbaitoli LGA in Imo State and burnt their properties worth millions of naira dollars. We’re calling on Human Rights organizations across the globe and other relevant stakeholders in the world to take a record of what the Nigerian Army and police are doing in so many peaceful communities in Imo State because nobody should blame us by Time we start getting them down which is not far from now.
‘How will the Nigeria security agents who cannot withstand bandits in the North be zealous in killing innocent Biafrans of Igbo extraction? These atrocities have been going on for too long but we won’t tolerate it anymore.
‘We, therefore, warn perpetrators of these evil agenda to retrace their steps immediately or brace up for stiff resistance.
‘This is a secret genocide orchestrated by the Fulani-controlled federal government to depopulate Ndigbo before the coming of Biafra.’
The IPOB spokesperson added that he wondered why youths in the north were not treated the same way even after they were being identified as bandits.
‘Despite the daily slaughter of security agents mainly of Southern origin in the North by bandits and terrorists, the Nigerian military or police has never embarked on mass arrest and secret killing of youths and residents of the crime scene. It’s unfortunate that the treacherous political class has kept mute over this atrocity. But IPOB cannot keep quiet.
‘”The intention of the masterminds of this crime against humanity is to weaken the South East and pave the way for its long-planned invasion by jihadists. But they will not succeed.
‘We promise them hell for this cowardly act of victimising innocent Igbo youths for the activities of unknown gunmen. How many times have youths in Zamfara or Katsina or Kaduna been arrested and killed for the activities of bandits? Why is the Fulani controlled federal government treating the Igbo as slaves and the whole world is watching helplessly?,’ Powerful asked.