Following the killing of one of the commanders of its Eastern Security Network, the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra has said it has just begun its “madness”.
Earlier report is that police operatives and their counterparts from the Nigerian Army and Department of State Services killed IPOB’s commander known as Ikonso and six other militia members in Imo State.
The IPOB men were killed during an early morning raid on their hideout at Awomama village, Oru East Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.
Reacting in a statement signed by its spokesman Emma Powerful, IPOB said, “The killing of the heroic innocent Biafrans protecting our communities and towns from Fulani terrorists herdsmen masquerading as cattle herders in cold blood is very painful.”
IPOB also threatened that the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, and all those who had a hand in “this wickedness will pay dearly”.
“Uzodinma decided to kill Ikonso because he refused his offer to head Ebubeagu ghost security outfit formed by South East governors. Uzodinma has tried but without success to lure ESN operatives into Ebubeagu. He had made irresistible offers to them which were turned down, hence his resorting to elimination of these patriotic heroes who vowed never to betray Biafra.
“Hope Uzodinma sent a lot of emissaries to beg Ikonso and other ESN officers to join Ebubeagu security outfit. So, because of their refusal to betray Biafra agitation and our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the hopeless governor mobilized joint security forces to attack them today.
“Hope Uzodinma has murdered sleep, so he should be ready to stay awake! Fulani terrorists pretending as cattle sellers in Enugu destroyed Police van and attacked government officials on lawful duty with AK-47 but no Army, police or DSS attacked them till now. But ESN operatives defending our communities against the terrorists are being hunted like games every day. The world has kept quiet over this atrocity until we begin our own madness,” the statement partly read.
The regime of the President, Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had in September 2017 outlawed IPOB and declared that the activities of the secessionist group constituted an act of terrorism and illegality.
Before then, the leader if the group, Kanu, was arrested and jailed but was later released from the Kuje Prison in Abuja after meeting bail conditions. The IPOB leader later fled the country and has been operating from overseas.
