The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has drawn a battle line with the Imo State Ebubeagu security outfit , vowing that it is now fight to finish.
Media and Publicity Secretary of the secessionist group, Emma Powerful, made the declaration on Monday in a statement circulated to journalist, titled: “IPOB-ESN ready to stop Ebubeagu reckless massacre.”
Stating that a battle line had been drawn, the separatists said the time had come to unleash venom on Ebubeagu, alleging that the Imo security outfit comprised a mixture of the South-South militants, Fulani bandits and some notorious crimininal Igbo boys.
It said , “IPOB has kept quiet for so long and have appealed to Hope Uzodima to disband the blood sucking demons he created but all to no avail. Now it has become obvious to us that Hope Uzodinma and his masters are spilling the blood of our people for diabolical reasons in addition to the depopulation of Imo youths agenda. IPOB have responsibility to defend our people and our land against invading terrorists. We are therefore declaring every Ebubeagu member a persona non-granta in Igboland, going forward.
It maintained that Ebubeagu had rendered many children orphans and made many women untimely widows and childless while at the same time rendering them homeless., vowing that such babaric killings must stop while the killers and their sponsors must answer for their crimes against humanity.
Recalling that a few weeks back, the Ebubeagu outfit allegedly murdered 14 innocent Imo youths returning from traditional wedding in Awo-Omamma in the Our East Local Government Area of the state, the group said IPOB Leadership had given a matching order to it security arm, the Eastern Security Network ( ESN) to go after the Ebubeagu group and stop them from further killing the people.
The group’s statement read in part,” Following the incessant killing of innocent citizens in Imo state by the Ebubeagu militia formed by Supreme Court Administrator of Imo State,Hope Uzodinma, we the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu wish to state unequivocally and openly to all and sundry that IPOB is about to unleash its venom on the terrorist Ebubeagu for the countless massacre of our people especially in Imo state.
” IPOB is very much aware that the murderous members of Ebubeagu were drafted from militants from the coastal part of Biafra (South South), Fulani bandits and some notorious crimininal Igbo boys. The objective for the creation of this murderous outfit is not to stop crimininal activities but to harass, intimidate and depopulate innocent Igbo youths, which they have been doing unchallenged for a while now. This evil outfit conduct illegal arrest of people and extort hundreds of thousands of Naira as ransom before their hapless victims are freed.
“Those who are not able to raise the thousands demanded of them for their freedom are killed. This murderous militia take as much as N500,000 from their unfortunate victims. We have evidences of those they extorted to bail themselves with such exhobitant amount before they were freed.
“The Imo State people’s choice governor was upturned by Fulani controlled judiciary in favour of Hope Uzodimma to do this dirty job of slaughtering our innocent youths and destroying our people’s properties.
“Hope has used Ebubeagu to kill and destroy so many lives and homes in Imo State that it has become mind boggling and has to be stopped. The recent killing in Ugbele Izombe in Oguta LGA can only be discribed as a genocide and we won’t allow such to continue in Biafraland.
“Ebubeagu invaded Izombe town in Oguta LGA of Imo State at the early hours of Saturday being the 6th of August, 2022, shooting indiscriminately at innocent people without any reason or provocation and killing two people on the spot in the process. So many were matcheted and others sustained degree of gun shot injuries. They abducted over 30 people, took away some cash that belong to some local traders and even their goods.
” The most worrisome part of it is that, they abducted some masquarades (Okorosha festival men) which is an abomination in Igbo culture ( because Ebubeagu members are alien to Igbo culture). In the end, several houses, vehicles, motorcycles and shops were burnt down.
” It is on record that Governor Hope Uzodinma boasted of inviting the military to kill those people he pretends to be governing. It is so pathetic and heart rendering that Imo indigenes have refused to call Hope Uzodinma and his APC co-travellers and its killing squad to order.”
Stating that it was unfortunate that
Imo State Traditional Rulers and stakeholders had remained mute while Ebubeagu in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) and police would kill the youth, the group said the worst was that after the killings they would blame it on IPOB and ESN operatives, adding, “Other governors in Nigeria protect their people. We want to remind Hope Uzodinma that IPOB has a social contract to secure our people’s lives and property.
“Therefore, going forward, ESN has the responsibility to stop your murderous Ebubeagu from further maiming, and killing of our people and destroying their properties. That we shall do by the grace.”
