By Uche Onyeali
Leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has denied any involvement in the 776 deaths and substantial economic losses across the South East region.
This was contained in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Comrade Emma Powerful.
The group gave the clarification in reaction to the allegations contained in a recent report by SBM Intelligence, which blamed IPOB for the deaths and substantial economic downturn in the region, a report which the group rejected, describing it as inaccurate and unsubstantiated.
The group noted that it officially cancelled the Monday sit-at-home directive in 2021, while its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, had previously disowned individuals or groups acting independently to enforce such orders.
“Any incident attributed to sit-at-home actions should not be automatically linked to IPOB. Our organisation has made it clear that we do not support any form of violence or disruption of public life,” the statement said.
It maintained that no credible evidence had been presented directly connecting it to the incidents cited in the report.
The group called for independent verification, urging those responsible for the report to provide substantiation through appropriate legal channels.
It also questioned the timing of the report’s publication, noting that it came shortly before Biafra Heroes Day — an annual commemoration held on May 30 to honour individuals who died during the Nigerian Civil War.
“This period is deeply significant to our members and supporters. We hope that discussions and publications around this time would reflect sensitivity and balance,” IPOB added.
