The embattled leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has reacted to the allegation that the group is plotting an attack in Lagos.
Money Central earlier reported that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, on Monday, May 10, said the state Police Command is investigating the separatist group, Oodua Republic, and also the threat by the proscribed IPOB to attack soft targets in the state.
Reacting, Kanu in a statement signed Tuesday, by his media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, described the allegation as “a false alarm and a smoke screen by security operatives to commit terror and create division among IPOB and Oodua group “.
Read full statement below;
“We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has again come across another fallacious statement from a Commissioner of Police in Lagos, claiming to have uncovered plot by IPOB and Estern Security Network, ESN, to attack Lagos in the near future.
“We therefore, wish to state that the purported statement by the CP is false alarm and a lie from the pit of hell which exists only in figment of his imagination. Neither IPOB nor ESN has any plans to attack Lagos or any part of Nigeria for any reason. We are not terrorists that attack targets.
“The mandate of IPOB is to restore Biafra, while ESN defends our ancestral land against terrorists and killer herdsmen. None of these mandates can be achieved by attacking Lagos. Lagos is Oduduwa Republic and we enjoy robust relationship and synergy with our Oduduwa brethren. So, what is our gain in attacking Lagos assuming that attacks are part of our strategies?
“Based on our understanding of the antics of the federal government of Nigeria, we therefore, wish to put Lagosians on notice to be wary of this Government and its agencies. The purported statement by the CP is a smoke screen under which the security agencies want to hide and unleash mayhem on Lagos residents and turn around as usual to blame it on IPOB and ESN.
“They want to divert attention and carry out an act of terror in Lagos just the same way they are doing currently in the Eastern region. They have been destabilizing Eastern region to pave the way for another special military operation in the region and kill more innocent Biafrans. After commiting their atrocities they still point accusing fingers at IPOB and ESN just to have more excuses to further clamp down on us.
“Today, they have been going from house to house abducting innocent Biafrans, tagging them IPOB, and ESN members and sponsors. Yet the murderous Fulani bandits and herdsmen have continued to unleash terror on Nigerians almost unchallenged. The shameless Nigeria security agencies who flee at the sight of bandits have been busy arresting innocent newspapers vendors in Imo State for commiting no crime other than selling newspapers that contain Biafra stories. But they began too late. They can’t suppress Biafra any longer!
“The antics of the enemies cannot stop our irrevocable resolve to restore Biafra. We also wish to remind the hypocritical Nigeria security agencies that they will pay dearly for any innocent Biafran they kill. This is a sure promise!
“Will the federal government swear that it does not know who brought the killer herdsmen into Nigeria through the porous Northern borders? Who negotiates with the bandits? Who pays them ransom? Why are they trying to change the narrative and divert attention now? IPOB is a peaceful movement and not a terror cell. Our peaceful disposition is the reason we maintain a global presence in over 100 countries. So, any attempt by Nigeria to blackmail us is dead on arrival.”