Security
Attacks on INEC, S’East, plot to rig Obi out in 2023 – IPOB *Our hands are clean
Our hands are clean, we’re a non-violent organisation, were the words the Indeginous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Thursday, with which they washed their hands of the recent heightened insecurity in the South East, particularly attacks on the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
They explained that the sponsors of the mayhem want to achieve a set of goals by their actions – to deceive the International Community to regard IPOB as a group obstructing democratic processes in the contraption called Nigeria’s election and to rig 2023 elections by disenfranchising a lot of Biafran voters against Peter Obi’s political base, thereby making Biafran voters blame IPOB for Obi’s failure when they rig him out.
The group, while denying involvement in the mayhem, accused the Federal Government of working with the Nigeria Police operatives to carry out the attacks only to turn around to blame the group, saying the gimmick would not work as lies would never prevail over truth, said it was a divide and conquer strategy, a game the people must understand and be guided in order to act wisely..
The group, in a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, while asked them to desist from linking its members with the attacks as they had no business in burning offices as alleged by security agent, adding that they were not interested in the affairs of the country.
The statement said: “The attention of the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the great and indefatigable leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU has been drawn to the laughable, disgraceful, and fallacious statements made against innocent IPOB movement by the Nigeria Police in Imo State accusing IPOB of being responsible for the INEC office arson. We are not surprised because we knew that they never have truth to offer to the public, only falsehood and propaganda against IPOB.
“IPOB has no business or reason to burn any INEC office. Nigeria government and their Police are behind those who burnt INEC office in Owerri Imo State. If they are not sponsoring the attacks, how come they haven’t done any public inquiry or extensive investigation on the attacks on INEC facilities, instead, they run to the media to shout that IPOB attacked INEC office. We tell Nigeria and it’s agencies to stop slinging mud because it is not sticking. WE ARE IPOB! Our hands are clean, and we are justified in our quest for a free Biafra Nation.
“The whole world must hear from IPOB. We never have any intention to attack INEC office anywhere in Biafraland or have interest in disturbing election campaigns in Nigeria or anywhere because we are not interested in the Nigeria selection process called election. Our leader instructed IPOB never to interfere with Nigeria elections. Anyone in doubt should get clarifications from our legal teams and from others who have been visiting our Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU in the DSS solitary confinement for one year and six months since he has been illegally detained.
“Nigeria Police Command in Owerri knew that the criminals they claimed to have gunned down a few days ago during the attack of an INEC office were not IPOB volunteers or ESN operatives at all. Why then is Nigerian’s compromised Police hell bent on blackmailing IPOB with the same insecurity they are sponsoring in the Southeast? We challenge Nigeria Police to arraign the arrested arsonists in open court for questioning so that the world will know their sponsors.
“It has been in the habit of the Nigeria government to sponsor Fulani terrorists and other criminals to attack public infrastructures, especially INEC facilities in the East, to implicate IPOB and ESN operatives. This media blackmail against IPOB with INEC facilities burnings are for two reasons:
“First, to deceive the International Community to regard IPOB as a group obstructing democratic processes in the contraption called Nigeria’s election. Secondly, it is a plan to rig 2023 elections by disenfranchising a lot of Biafran voters against Peter Obi’s political base, thereby making Biafran voters blame IPOB for Obi’s failure when they rig him out. This is a divide and conquer strategy. Our people must understand this game and be guided and act wisely.
“We already knew their game, and we are as usual ahead of them. We always defeat them with truth and facts. You can bribe and lobby the world as much as you want, but convictions come with facts, and that’s where Nigeria’s bluffs always end. Nigeria Government and her Police should stop linking IPOB and ESN Operatives to their own murderous activities because we are a NONVIOLENT freedom seeking movement in all our activities both home and abroad. Nigeria media houses should be wary of Nigeria Police with their dangerous propaganda against an innocent group fighting for their people’s liberation such as IPOB is doing.”
Despite the crying out that families of the victims of Sunday’s massacre in Anambra State are not cooperating with them, the Anambra State Command, on Monday vowed to hunt down the gunmen who carried out the attack in which no fewer than 12 people were slaughtered, while many others were left with different degrees of injuries.
Nnaghe Obono Itam, Anambra State Police Commissioner, practically accused some indigenes of Nibo community in Awka South Local Government area of not helping matters, stating that they were suppressing information that would assist the police carry out investigation and get the culprits speedily.
The police boss, spoke as witnesses and survivors recount their experience during the incident, which occurred during the celebration of Ọnwa Asaa celebration, a yearly local festival of the community, recounting how the hoodlums, who came in two cars opened fire at the unsuspecting victims at a local joint in the vicinity.
On a visit to the community on Monday for an on- the -spot assessment of the situation, the police boss cited a situation where the relatives of the deceased persons quickly picked up the bodies of the victims and buried them, thereby disrupting what would have provided a lead to cracking the identity of those behind the dastardly act.
Tochukwu Ikenga, a Superintendent of Police (SP) and spokesman of the command, who however conveyed the determination of the command to unravel the identity of those behind the act by doubling its efforts, said: “Anambra State Police command remains committed to the ongoing investigation and to arrest the perpetrators of the cult-related killings in Nibo yesterday.
“The command also frowns at the act of some deceased’s relatives to bury evidence, suppress information and disrupt the ongoing investigation. The Commissioner led Police operatives to the scene, during which he stated that the command had redoubled its efforts to leave no stone unturned in hunting down the assailants.”
The Security Director and Commander of the community’s vigilante group, who identified himself as Wadada, while expressing sorrow over the tragic turn of the annual festival, a beloved tradition for Nibo natives, said: “The attackers entered Nibo through Amawbia during our Ọnwa Asaa festival, marking our new yam celebration. They arrived in two vehicles, a Lexus Jeep and a Sienna, both without license plates. Passing through police checkpoints and the Governor’s Lodge, they opened fire on a group of people in a shop. One of my vigilante men, Uchenna Obiekwe, an only son who was unmarried, was killed.”
He also revealed how many others were injured, including the shop owner and his six-year-old daughter, who suffered bullet wounds to their legs, stating that nobody knew whether the gunmen were cultists, unknown gunmen, or armed robbers, adding: “It was by God’s grace I left the scene before they arrived.”
Another survivor, Ichie Oku, a staff member of the Anambra State Ministry of Information, shared his close brush with death. “You should thank God for sparing my life. I was at a joint on Sunday when they arrived. One of them pointed a gun at me, but another gang member told him I wasn’t their target. Despite this, he still pulled the trigger, but his colleague pushed him at that moment, causing the bullets to hit the wall behind me.”
Oku painfully recounted how three people beside him were killed instantly. The attackers returned moments later, shooting five more people before moving on to Eke Nibo, where they killed four others, bringing the death toll to 12. “It all happened in less than five minutes. If not for God, I would have been the 13th victim,” he said, mourning the loss of two family members, whom he planned to bury the following day.
Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Anambra State, on a visit, during which he inspected the Eke Nibo Market as part of his routine monitoring of state activities, also consoled the grieving families and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice, while reaffirming his commitment to eradicating cultism in the state.
Authorities of the Nigerian Army, on Monday warned Nigerians calling for coup against President Bola Tinubu to stop such a dangerous request as it constitutes treason – the highest offence in the land – saying instead of toppling him, they will go all out to protect both his person and his government.
The institution, which spoke against the backdrop of a video which made the rounds last week about a group of Nigerians blocking the road and literally imploring some military officers seen in a vehicle within the vicinity to topple the President, that their request would not be heeded.
The group of Nigerians at the scene, said to be in Ibadan, capital of Oyo State, had hinged their request on the massive hunger in the land and other forms of hardships, which they blamed on Tinubu’s harsh policies since coming into power on May 29, 2023.
Tinubu, had immediately after taking the oaths of office announced the removal of subsidy on price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, which saw the pump price jump from N198 to N550 immediately, causing a concomitant jump in prices of goods and services at the same time.
The action which was followed subsequently with the floating of the naira, Nigeria’s local currency, and further increases in the petrol prices to the current rate of more than N1,000, had since compounded the situation, with prices of local goods, particularly food items and transportation hitting the rooftops.
Amid the hardship resulting from the situation, there had been some strident calls for the military to return to power, with one of the incidents recorded during the 10-day #EndHardship protest of August 1-10, where some participants were recorded appealing to some soldiers posted to confront them to take over government.
But Tukur Gusau, a Brigadier General and a military spokesman, in a statement on behalf of the Nigerian Nigerian Army, who was emphatic that soldiers would never return to power, told the agitators that such a call was totally forbidden by law and the military would not act in their favour.
Gusau, Director of Defence Information, while pledging the unflinchingly commitment of the military in deepening and strengthening of democracy in Nigeria said the institution would never engage in activities that would undermine it.
His words: “Those advocating for a military takeover, as seen in the viral video, should be aware that such actions are considered treason under the Constitution. The Armed Forces of Nigeria is steadfastly committed to the preservation and advancement of our democracy and remain loyal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. The military is focused on fulfilling its statutory responsibilities, including safeguarding the nation’s integrity.
“The relative peace being enjoyed today is a direct result of the President’s support for the military and the dedication of the AFN leadership. To this end, the AFN and relevant security agencies have been mandated to take necessary action against any individual or group advocating for unconstitutional changes in the country.”
News
BREAKING: Kachallah Buzu, notorious Zamfara bandit leader killed! *Troops intensify hunt for Turji
Less than 48 hours after authorities of the Nigerian military vowed to hunt down Bello Turji, the notorious terrorist leader, whose killing machine has left many families in sorrow in North West, a major breakthrough was recorded on Thursday, with the killing of Kachallah Buzu, another notorious bandit kingpin operating in the area.
The dangerous bandit, was reportedly felled by soldiers operating under the structure of Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD), coordinating military campaigns in the area, alongside several of his fighters, in Mayanchi village of Zamfara State, one of the hotbeds of terrorist activities in the zone.
Reports quoting Zagazola Makama, a security publication focused on the Lake Chad region, said the operation was carried out on September 12, which cited intelligence sources as revealing that the military laid an ambush following reports on the movements of the terrorists.
Makama said the troops recovered 30 motorcycles and a cache of weapons, further crippling the group’s operational capabilities, in addition to inflicting significant losses on the insurgents, one of the major successes recorded since troops began battling escalating banditry and insurgency in the North that started with Boko Haram in 2009.
The latest development came on the heels of reports of gunmen kidnapping many travellers in the area on the Zamfara highway on Thursday, a day after personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) thwarted a terrorist attack on Department of State Services (DSS) facilities in the Shiroro LGA of Niger state.
The publication added that the air strikes inflicted heavy casualties on the bandits, killing at least 28 and dispersing many more.
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