The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Thursday refuted claims by the Nigerian Army that a top official of the group was arrested in Aba, Abia State.
The army had said in a statement on Wednesday night by its spokesman Brigadier-General Mohammed Yerima that a top commander of IPOB’s security arm the Eastern Security Network (ESN) was arrested. It identified him as Awurum Eze, saying that many IPOB members in state custody had confirmed he was the second-in-command to Ikonso who was recently killed by the country’s security forces.
IPOB in a statement by its spokesman Emma Powerful said the man arrested by the army was too old to be recruited into the ESN.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ably led by our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, read with utter amusement, media reports of claims by the Nigeria Army that it arrested Ikonso’s Second in Command in Aba. This is a blatant lie and cheap propaganda to lay false claims to imaginary military prowess,” the group said in the statement.
“The said man is not an operative of ESN. Such a man is too old to be recruited into ESN, let alone be Ikonso’s Second in Command.
“That you ambushed Ikonso with the help of some traitors did not mean you have crushed ESN. Stop claiming what you have not done in your bid to win public accolades. If you arrest or kill Ikonso’s second in Command we will not hesitate to admit it just the same way we did not deny the murder of Ikonso. We are not like Nigeria that lives in propaganda; we tell the truth always. So, stop harassing innocent Biafrans in the name of a manhunt for ESN personnel.
“Our background check revealed that the said man had issues with his traditional ruler who gave his contact to the security agents alleging that he belongs to ESN. He is not our own.”
The group again accused the Nigerian government of an agenda to reduce the population of the south-eastern people.
