Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) yesterday flayed the Federal Government’s plan to appeal the October 13, 2022, Court of Appeal order for the release of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
IPOB said it was ready to meet the government which it accused of a series of threats and intimations, at the supreme court
The group also alleged that security agencies and not the Eastern Security Network (ESN) were responsible for the recent truck drivers’ blockade of some roads in the Southeast over the non-release of Kanu.
In Abuja, a pan-Igbo socio-political pressure organization, the Southeast Revival Group (SERG), also accused the government of victimizing and excluding the Southeast through its policies.
IPOB, in a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, reiterated its demand for the release of Kanu as ordered by the Court of Appeal.
The group, which vowed that no amount of threat or intimidation would make it back down on its agitation, called on the international community to caution the government and its security agents to stop their unjust treatment of the region and its people.
The statement reads in part, “We unequivocally state that the Nigeria government through her security agencies namely, the military, DSS(Directorate of State Security), and police, are responsible for the so-called truck drivers’ road blockage protest for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“The public should know that it is the Nigeria security agents that forced the drivers to block roads with their trucks and the same security agents with Ebubeagu militias that set fire to those trucks carrying goods to the Southeast, not ESN, unknown gunmen, or criminals.
d with consumable goods.
“It’s not enough that the Nigerian government sabotaged the importation of goods through seaports into the Southeast, they have resorted to attacking trucks hauling goods into the region so as to create artificial scarcity that will cause a hike in prices of goods.
“This is another agenda of the Nigerian government to use food and goods blockade as a weapon of war as they did during the 1967-1970 genocidal war.
“Nigeria security agents attacked trucks coming from Amorka in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State at the border community between Anambra and Imo State. We were reliably informed that soldiers forced some of the truck drivers to block the roads and claimed that it was ESN operatives and IPOB members that forced them to do so.
“The Army and other security agencies forced the truck drivers to block roads in disguise of protesting that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should be released without delay by the Federal Government.
“Enugu – Aba – Igweocha Expressways were also blocked with six trucks. Enugu – Onitsha Expressway near the toll gate was blocked by seven trucks. Obolo Afor in Enugu State was also blocked by some truck drivers.
“IPOB never forced truck drivers to block roads in protest for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release. IPOB knows how to handle issues without security agents directing us on what to do. ‘