Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has released names of suspected criminal elements in Orlu Imo State allegedly being sponsored by the state Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma to unleash mayhem on residents just to discredit the IPOB.
According to IPOB, the suspected gang members are Agu, 50, Vice and Ojoo.
Emma Powerful, the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB in a statement sent to ABN TV alleged that the suspects are collecting Illegal levy at Eke Ututu in the name of ESN when they are neither ESN operatives nor IPOB family members.
He further alleged that other suspected criminals, Sky and Zuma are collecting proceeds from innocent communities while another one called IGBANDA and his gangs are also collecting 5,000 Naira from Orlu people in the name of ESN.
He said the individuals have been declared Persona Non Grata in Biafraland urging residents to stop giving them money, insisting that they are not ESN operatives or IPOB volunteers.
IPOB also listed Emmanuel aka (Obereagu), Innocent Obiekee from Isingwu Orsumoghu, Izuchukwu from Amaduru Orsumoghu and Ofordie aka Baby as criminal elements impersonating the group in Orsumoghu, Nnewi South, Lilu Orsumenyi of Ihiala LGA of Anambra State, urging the affected communities to apprehend the listed suspects.
He insisted that ESN does not write letters to people or make calls to people requesting for funds.
He added that IPOB and ESN have no dealings with such activities of these elements whom he said are now on ESN watchlist.
Powerful urged the public to contact +1248 949 4843 and +61434294745 to report any crime from individuals, cult groups or criminal gangs using the name of IPOB/ESN to commit crimes.
The statement partly reads, “We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU, wish to reiterate, that IPOB and ESN operatives have no camp in Lilu in Ihiala LGA of Anambra State. We are not militants and Criminals and don’t need any camp in Ihiala LGA. We are identifiable and we are all over Biafra land and IPOB branches in the Diaspora.
“Nigeria security agencies are using the hatred they have on the people of Biafra particularly IPOB and ESN members to unleash cruelty on the people living in these communities where they suspect that criminals are taking refuge.
“If crimials take refuge in any Community in Biafra land, that doesn’t make them IPOB members or ESN operatives,We have also not said there are no more criminal gangs in Biafra land just like every other country even in the advanced Western nations. But we won’t accept the tagging of every Criminal element found in Biafra as IPOB member or ESN operative.”
He added, “They have been kidnapping people, snatching cars and raping our women in our territory. IPOB volunteers and ESN operatives have also been making efforts to apprehend these agents of sorrow, We cannot watch these beasts created and sponsored by Hope Uzodinma, his masters in Miyeti Allah and their co-travellers to destroy Biafra land,It is therefore, wicked and annoying that the Nigeria Army, Police and DSS will keep dishing out falsehood against IPOB and ESN by claiming that these criminals when arrested, are IPOB and ESN members. The so-called camp where these said criminals were arrested does not belong to ESN.They should stop lying against us.”