The pro Biafra group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has expressed shock and disbelief over comments credited to President Bola Tinubu ordering soldiers to embark on reprisal attack in Aba over the killing of their colleagues by gunmen without proper investigation.
The group said the order was “reckless” and akin to another genocide against Ndigbo,” and demanded an “open and independent investigation into the murder of the soldiers to fish out the real culprits.”
IPOB, through its Secretary of media and Publicity, Comrade Emma Powerful, reiterated its innocence in the act, which it described as barbaric, moreso on a sacred day for remembering its lost heroes, but condemned “the hasty manner in which the Nigerian government and its murderous military pinned the killing of the soldiers on IPOB without any investigation.”
The separatist agitators argued that, “It is obvious that the killing of the soldiers was sponsored to blackmail IPOB and perhaps used as an opportunity to scuttle the development strides being made in Abia State by their governor in Aba and around the state.
According to Powerful, “The statement credited to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordering the Nigeria Military to invade Abia State to kill innocent IPOB members and to go after innocent people without setting up an investigation panel shows a deep seated level of hatred and bigotry against Ndigbo.
“It is pathetic that a president of a country will encourage genocide of an ethnic group whom he has sworn an oath to protect. President Bola Tinubu has not hidden his hatred against Ndigbo.
“His government discontinued the case against Oduduwa Republic Activist Sunday Ighoho, dropped a case against Omoyele Sowore, dropped charges against confirmed drug dealer and fraudster ASP Abba Kyari, and lastly has dropped charges against a confirmed Fulani Miyetti Allah terrorists leader, Bello Bodejo.
“President Tinubu dropped charges and freed Yorubas and Fulanis without publicizing them, but have vehemently refused to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu even after the Appeal Court has discharged and acquitted our leader.
“President Tinubu has encouraged the economic sabotage of Igbo businesses in Lagos State and Abuja since he assumed office.
“The latest order from President Tinubu to the Nigerian Army to slaughter Ndigbo in retaliation in what could be likened to a State masterminded attack and assassination of soldiers at Aba is a ploy to distract attention from the illegal and unjust detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“The Nigerian government doesn’t want people to question the rationale behind the continuous detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu after discharging other similar high-profile cases in Nigeria.
“The hatred and hidden evil agenda against the East /Ndi Igbo by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his APC government of Nigerian state has become very clear through what happened in Aba on the 30th May, 2024 which is an orchestrated, designed, and intended to create an avenue to slow down the progress of development in Abia state.”
The IPOB spokesman urged Governor Alex Otti to ensure absolute vigilance “over the power station as it will be targeted for destruction to frustrate the influx of foreign investors and weaken the rapidity of development in Abia State.”
