The Indigenous People of Biafra, has debunked claim, saying that the group is intending to force Igbo people out from the Nigerian Army and other security agencies.
IPOB on Wednesday, also denied the Nigeria’s millitary’s allegations that its members abducted and assaulted a soldier sent to the South-East to spy on the Biafra movement.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu had, claimed in a press statement over the weekend that Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed leader of IPOB, circulated a video showing the torture of retired Corporal Toriola Adewale.
Reacting to the development in a statement released to the public on Wednesday, IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, described Army’s claims as propaganda and a self-staged crime by the military’s leadership.
According to him, Biafra’s Directorate of State, distanced itself from Simon Ekpa, but the Nigerian Army continues to link IPOB with Ekpa to tarnish the group’s reputation.
He said: “The Directorate of State of IPOB wishes to debunk the Nigerian Army’s concocted propaganda that peaceful and unarmed IPOB activists abducted a Nigerian soldier sent to Biafra land to spy on the Biafra movement and forced him to call for the resignation of Biafran soldiers in the Nigerian Army.
“The propaganda from the Nigerian Army spokesperson claiming that IPOB captured a spying Nigerian soldier and forced him to deliver a message to Biafran soldiers to resign is a self-staged crime by the Nigerian Army’s leadership.
“Although IPOB has called for Biafrans serving in Nigerian security agencies to resign, IPOB has never and will never force our brothers and sisters in the Nigerian security agencies to resign under duress.
“IPOB can only appeal to the conscience of Biafrans but will never impose anything on anyone at gunpoint.
“The Biafra Nation IPOB is championing, which is a nation where rights are guaranteed and respected, guides our people through reasoning.
“The so-called video of an abducted spying soldier is another false flag operation by the Nigerian Army and their provocateurs to continue their murderous onslaught against Ndigbo.
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“The Nigerian Army has reduced itself to mere social media gossip.
“IPOB did not abduct any Nigerian soldier. The Army spokesperson should stop linking IPOB to their criminal agents in their efforts to destabilize the South-East.
“IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu have no relationship with the so-called Biafra Liberation Army.
“These institutions also understand that IPOB is non-violent and that IPOB members are persecuted by the corrupt Nigerian government and its murderous security agencies.
“The Nigerian government and its security agencies should stop blackmailing IPOB. Our non-violent approach should not be mistaken for weakness.”