REPORT: 59 IPOB Members Arrested By Police To Be Tried As Terrorist

The Abia State Police Commissioner, Anthony Ogbizi, has said that with the proscription of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, by governors in the South-East and its declaration as a terrorist group by Defence Headquarters, IPOB members in the police custody would be tried as terrorists and anybody found with Biafra materials would be arrested and prosecuted.

This came as President Muhammadu Buhari,  yesterday, held a closed-door meeting with some northern governors before departing for New York where he will be attending the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA.

Ogbizi disclosed this at a media briefing where he paraded seven of the suspected members of IPOB at Ariaria police station in Aba. The Police said they have arrested 59 suspected members of IPOB, in Abia State.

They  also confirmed the death of an officer after an attack by members of the now outlawed group. He said the suspects would be prosecuted under the anti-terrorism act to ensure they were properly dealt with.

While restating what the army had earlier said, Ogbizi said IPOB had shown itself to be a “terrorist group,” which must be dealt with as such. Ogbizi said the army recovered several exhibits, including the coat of arms of Biafra from the suspects, adding: “As I  am talking to you now, information reaching me  said they have started gathering at Nnamdi Kanu’s house.”

Ogbizi called on citizens to volunteer information on the whereabouts of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB and denied the rumours circulating in the state that security agents arrested Kanu’s father.

Meanwhile, Following its declaration as a terrorist group, IPOB  has described as illegal and unconstitutional the  declaration by the Nigerian Army that it is a terrorist group.

IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, said the Nigerian Army lacked the constitutional power to declare any group as a terrorist group, saying it will ignore the declaration by the Army and any other group and continue its agitation for Biafra restoration.

It said: “We in IPOB condemn the illegal declaration made by Nigerian army labelling the peaceful freedom fighting organisation as IPOB as a terrorist organisation. We found the statement by Nigerian Army a laughable gesture. We will continue  doing what  we are doing which is peaceful agitation for Biafra freedom.”

In a similar reaction, South East Revival Group, SERG, said it was wrong for the Nigerian military to declare IPOB  as a terror group in a bid to justify an unwarranted invasion of Nnamdi Kanu’s home.

While calling on the Federal Government to immediately withdraw troops from Igboland to allow the leaders to conclude their dialogue with the young people engaged in self-determination, the group condemned the leaders in the region for their hasty ban on the activities of the IPOB at a time its efforts towards resolving the current security challenges in South Eastern Nigeria were yielding fruits.

The SERG in a statement by its National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, urged the Federal Government to be mindful of the danger inherent in retaining the deployed troops in the region as it has been misunderstood by the agitators, saying that the IPOB should be engaged in dialogue as the government did with the Arewa youths after their quit notice to Igbo in the north.

It said: “For us, there is no alternative to dialogue. Proper communication and enlightenment remain important tools to ensuring harmony in the country at this time as every part of the country is feeling marginalised in one way or the other.

“We imagine what would have happened if troops were deployed to the north after the eviction notice to the Igbo in the 19 northern states despite call for their arrest by some citizens.

“The Nigerian government gave the leaders in the region the opportunity to exhaust all possible dialogue windows for the resolution of the issue, even at a time the Arewa youths adamantly insisted that the Igbos in the north must go.

“Why the hasty deployment of troops to South-East and invasion of Nnamdi Kanu’s home town, under the guise of a military training exercise, at a time dialogue with the youths and consultations were on-going?”