The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, yesterday, raised the alarm over the alleged forcing of arrested suspected criminals by security agencies, particularly the Police, Army, and Department of State Services, DSS, operatives to claim to be operatives of Eastern Security Network, ESN, in an attempt to rob its name in the mud.
IPoB in a statement by its image maker, Emma Powerful, entitled, “Police, Army, DSS, are forcing criminals they arrested in different parts of South East states to claim ESN operatives”, said that such blackmail against IPoB is an exercise in futility, and will always collapse like a pack of cards because IPoB is not a criminal organization and does not habour criminals.
IPoB gave an instance of its allegation against security agencies with the viral video of the arrest of a suspected notorious criminal that has been terrorizing Atta community in Njaba Local Government Area, Imo State, who gave his name as Okechukwu, claiming that he is popularly known as “Buhari” and was forced to claim ESN, but he declined and the security agents that arrested him tried to force him to own up being ESN member or be dealt with.
In the viral video, one of the security officials interrogating the suspect asked him his name and he said: “My name is Okechukwu, but people call me Buhari, I’m from Atta in Njaba.”
When he was asked how long he has been with ESN, he replied “I’m not a member of ESN” and at that point, some other security officials started saying force him, force him, he will say it…”
According to IPoB, “The arrested suspected criminal in the video is not an ESN member. Information has it that they are three in number, and specializes in robbing people’s cars and tricycles and motorcycles, to go and sell.
“Further information at our disposal revealed that they went for robbery in Amiri community in Oru Local Government Area, and were caught, but he later escaped to an unknown destination for some time only to return a few days ago to rob people in Atta, Njaba, but was caught.
“We therefore, wonder why Nigerian security agencies cannot be honest enough to parade their arrested suspected criminals without involving IPoB. We equally wonder what they gain in branding any arrested suspected criminal as IPoB or ESN.
“We want Nigerians and the international community to know that Nigeria’s security agencies are not to be trusted. They are dishonest and telling lies has long become part of their policies. They should not be believed in their parade of criminals.”
