By Akinwale Kasali
The Spokesman for the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Emma Powerful, has indicted Simon Ekpa and group called, “Autopilot” as the brain, allegedly, behind unrest in the South-east.
Powerful claimed that the self-proclaimed disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, Ekpa and his gang are responsible for the criminal activities across the South-east region, distancing IPOB from the illicit act.
He informed the Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, who recently decided to give amnesty to the Group, that the IPOB is not responsible for the criminal activities in the region.
The Separatist Group in a statement said, “We, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to tell Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State that IPOB is not responsible for the criminality in the Southeast, including Anambra State. The Governor should know that our enemies are committing atrocities using our name in their desperation to blackmail IPOB.
“It is a certain Simon Ekpa and his criminal gang called Autopilots that are carrying out threats against people’s lives because of non-existent Monday sit-at-home. They are criminals, kidnappers and robbers. These people disturbing the peace of our people are not IPOB members. They should be treated as criminals. IPOB doesn’t shed blood. We are a peaceful movement.
“We wish to reiterate once again that IPOB has cancelled Monday sit- at-home order and anybody or group enforcing the relaxed order is neither from IPOB nor from IPOB volunteer group. Any Governor in the region who deemed it fit to stop non-existent Monday sit-at-home order in the region is free to do so.
“Anyone caught adding to the pain of our people in the name of enforcing Monday sit-at-home order will be treated like the enemy that he or she is.
“We, therefore, warn these agents of darkness using the name of IPOB to enforce a non-existent sit-at-home to desist because if we lay hold on them.
“Why should such unpatriotic elements be inflicting pain on our people and dragging our image to the mud?
IPOB remains a non-violent movement and our peaceful approach for Biafra restoration has not changed.
“It will be recalled that IPOB leadership called for the Monday sit-at-home, and the same IPOB leadership has cancelled it.
“Nobody was given the mandate to enforce the same suspended sit-at-home using the name of IPOB.
“The only day sit-at-home will be observed in Biafraland is when our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is appearing in court, and we shall as usual make it public for all to know.”
The group added: “We hereby direct community leaders, market leaders, church leaders, and other institutions of authority in Biafra land to arrest any hoodlum trying to enforce any sit-at-home on Mondays and hand them over to IPOB.
“Such criminal elements must be treated in a language they understand.
“Again it has become imperative to state that IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has nothing whatsoever to do with the recent attack on Nnewi South Headquarters/Secretariat”, the statement reads.
