The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has blamed cultists, hoodlums and political thugs for the raging insecurity in the South-East and vowed to uproot them
The group in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, distanced itself from the criminal activities in the region, insisting that it remained a peaceful movement.
Powerful said that IPOB would no longer allow cultists and political thugs terrorise the people of South-East.
In the statement, he listed some names it tagged sponsors of criminal activities in the region, and allegedly encouraging recruitment of fake ESN members and cultists in the state.
According to Powerful, it was unacceptable for undesirable elements to destroy the region and claim they were IPOB or ESN operatives, while they were not.
He said: “We believe it is time we exposed those sponsoring criminals in Abia State. IPOB cannot attack or kill anybody because it is not our mandate; claiming you are IPOB will destroy you if you don’t change and leave your evil doings. We want the people to provide accurate information about those cultists, hoodlums and dissidents operating in their area for immediate action.
“We enjoin people to be very discreet and watchful in doing this because high profile individuals in the state sponsor these cultists in their desire to demonise IPOB and ESN.
“Anybody associating with these criminals must inform them that IPOB is coming to visit them and their evil sponsors, so they should be prepared for what is coming.
“IPOB is a peaceful movement seeking freedom through internationally recognised civil disobedience and cannot allow cultists and political thugs continue to terrorise innocent citizens in the Biafra territory in other to discredit our heaven-ordained struggle for freedom and liberty. We will not allow that nonsense to continue any more…”