Killing Of 30 Alleged Autopilots Turned-Kidnappers: “We Have Nothing To Do With Ekpa’s Group” – IPOB

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Leadership of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra IPOB has taken strong exception to the tendencies to associate the alleged criminal activities of  Autopilots Militia, led by  Simon Ekpa, with the genuine agitations of the group.

It has, therefore, cautioned the Enugu State Government and Security Agencies to resist the temptation of confusing the criminal activities of the group with the philosophies of the Mazi  Nnamdi Kanu-led freedom and justice seeking-IPOB.

Only on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, the Enugu state Government and security agencies announced the neutralization of no fewer than 30 kidnap lords ,whom they claimed were members of the IPOB led by the Finland based Ekpa .

The Source reports that Governor Peter Mba Media Team, in a statement, informed that a crack special  security team set up by the State Government has, in the last two weeks, taken the battles to kidnappers den, most of whom they insisted were the foot soldiers of the Ekpa-led IPOB.

Rising from a security council meeting early last month ,security agencies in Enugu State had, apart from declaring the State a no-go-area for sit-at-home enforcers and other criminal elements, also, vowed to deal ruthlessly with persons and/or groups bent on disrupting the peace of Enugu State.

But in a statement issued on Thursday, August 22, IPOB Spokesperson Emma Powerful, denied the existence of Autopilot militia within the structure of IPOB.

He maintained that the  group ,as led by Ekpa, has no iota of connection with the genuine agitations of the Kanu led-IPOB and the Eastern Security Network ESN.

“The global family and movement of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra IPOB, led by the great and indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu, wish to debunk the fabricated and fallacious news peddled by the Enugu state Governor’s media office, which claims that the Nigeria Police neutralized 27 kidnappings gangs of ESN members loyal to the Finland based buffoon at various locations in Enugu State.

“This claim is not only false, but also a cheap propaganda against IPOB and ESN .According to reports from media outlets ,the Enugu state Governor’s media office claimed that Nigeria police neutralized 27 criminals and kidnappers within two weeks at various locations in the state .

“The Nigeria police and Enugu State Government alleged that some of the criminals were pro-Biafra agitators loyal to the Finland based double agent .

“Why then do they associate these criminals with the noble IPOB family? In their usual malicious intent ,the Nigeria Government bodies have claimed that these so-called neutralize neutralized criminals were ESN operatives loyal to Autopilot IPOB .

“For a long time ,IPOB has maintained that there is no such entity as Autopilot in IPOB . More over ,the criminal gang leader in Finland has no relationship with ESN from its formation to date and or with IPOB .

“Kidnappers have nothing in common with  IPOB ,ESN or Biafra struggle ” part of the statement reads .