Following the outrage that greeted the gruesome murder of Dr Chike Akunyili, husband of Late Professor Dora Akunyili, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday, vowed to stop the ongoing dastardly killings and other mayhem being unleashed on the people of the southeast, warning those behind the killings, particularly in Anambra State to stop, otherwise it will send Eastern Security Network, ESN, after them.
IPOB also said that it has asked all residents of the southeast to be at red alert over alleged plots by the enemies to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens under the guise of enforcing the sit-at-home order.
IPOB spoke as the former governor of Enugu State, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo yesterday, urged the group to stop unleashing mayhem on the people, saying the group is gradually fetching ant-infested firewood for itself.
A statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, entitled: “We will order ESN, to go after the masterminds of the senseless killings in Biafra land if they don’t stop now” urged its volunteers and security operatives to be on the watch out, that some hoodlums working for its enemies have planned to unleash terror on Biafrans.
IPOB’s statement read in part: “Following the sit at home order on October 1st 2021, we the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, ably led by our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to place every resident of Biafra on red alert over plots by the enemies to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens under the guise of enforcing the sit-at-home order.
“Our volunteers and security operatives should be on alert in every part of Biafra land. We realize that some hoodlums working for our enemies would want to capitalize on this order and attack people and turn around and blame it on IPOB.
“IPOB through its intelligence units has discovered that the Nigerian establishment working in cohort with the Fulani oligarchy has activated the second phase of their plan to take over indigenous peoples ancestral lands.
“The revelation is that the Fulani will start targeted killings of prominent southerners which has commenced in earnest with the gruesome murder of Dr. Chike Akunyili.
“They will commit these murders and hide under the name of unknown gunmen to attack more innocent and prominent people during the sit-at-home.
“We are raising this alarm so that Biafrans and residents of Biafra will beware of this evil plot by these blood suckers. They want to go on killing spree in Biafra land and blame it on IPOB. Everybody will have to be cautious because the enemies are here with their agents of death.
“These vampires who murdered Dr. Chike Akunyili two days ago still want to sustain their murderous campaign in Biafra land but they will meet their waterloo.
“Our intelligence has revealed that they want to commit more atrocities on October 1st and blame it on IPOB. According to the intelligence, these blood suckers want to also attack children in Biafra land to create the impression that IPOB is now attacking school children. Killing is never part of our mandate.
“Contrary to campaign of calumny sponsored by our enemies to demonize us, IPOB has no hands in the orgy of attacks in Biafra land. We have no pleasure in attacking or killing our people.
“The ultimate intension of the masterminds of this barbarity is to make Biafra land especially South East as insecure and porous as the terrorists-infested Northern region.
“We therefore want to place our people on red alert over the plot by our enemies to destabilise our region. This has become necessary following the recent revelation by a South West governor that a Northern governor is exporting bandits from the north to other parts of Nigeria.
“Bandits have taken over the whole North and they are now trying to replicate such in our land but we must resist them. It’s now obvious that terrorists are everywhere and perfecting the war of jihad in our land.
“This season calls for more vigilance among our people. We must all synergize as a people to provide security for every resident of Biafra land. We won’t allow our enemies to create the atmosphere of fear and terror in our land.
“We are holding the Nigerian state and some politicians from the Northern part of the country and their fellow politicians in Biafran land using DSS and sacked SARS officers accountable for the festering insecurity in our land. They are responsible for the senseless killings going on in Biafra land particularly in Anambra and Imo States.
“It is on record that Gov. Akeredolu of Ondo State warned everyone in Nigeria especially the south about the evil plans of some elements from the North exporting terrorists and bandits to the South but it fell on deaf ears.
“Why have the DSS, Army, Police, NIA and other security agents failed to investigate the revelation? They pretend as if nothing is happening because they are all involved in the evil plan to kill and slaughter Biafrans and southerners at will in the name of gunmen.
“While bandits are wiping out Christian communities in the North as being currently witnessed in Southern Kaduna and Jos, the terrorists in security uniforms are carrying out genocide in Biafra land.
“We are making it clear to all and sundry that if nothing is done to stop this senseless killings in our land by the enemies of Biafra, we will have no other option than to order ESN to leave the bushes and forests to towns and villages to flush out the Northern exported killer terrorists who are bent on killing and slaughtering our people in the name of unkown gunmen while mischievously blaming their atrocities on IPOB and ESN operatives.
“We are calling on everybody in Biafra land to join hands and support IPOB and ESN to flush these murderous killers ravaging our land particularly Imo and Anambra States. Enough of this madness.”
Stop unleashing mayhem on your people, Nwodo urges IPOB
Speaking yesterday in Nsukka, Chief Nwodo, who was also a former national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, told IPOB to seek better ways of engaging the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu, rather than fetching ant-infested firewood which is already having devastating effects on the people of the zone.
He made the statement while condemning the gruesome murder of Dr. Chike Akunyili, by men suspected to be members of IPOB at Anambra State on Tuesday.
He also enjoined all the local security architecture in the zone to team up with federal security agencies to ensure that South East does not become another theatre of violence in Nigeria.
He said “The level of atrocities which took place in Anambra State within a space of one week which Governor Willie Obiano mentioned during his broadcast on Tuesday was frightening.
“How would IPOB declare ‘No Biafra, no election’ in Anambra State? The group is trying to fetch ant-infested firewood for itself. The frequent declaration of sit-at-home order by the group has brought economic devastation to the zone. How would you stop someone who survives through his daily handwork from going out on Mondays?
“How would you kill and burn the properties of your people who refuse to comply with the order? Federal Government is not touched by this self-inflicting approach of IPOB on South East. We are only introducing hardship on ourselves. The FG doesn’t care and would not care how we undo ourselves here.
“Now, the situation has de-genarated to broad daylight killings with guns. This is really terrible and must stop.
“I have always advised them that there are better ways of putting pressure on governments. Look at the Muslim Shiites, they come out and demonstrate. They continued with this approach until their leader was released. In our case, we are inflicting injury on ourselves. How do you expect Federal Government to release our son, Kanu by unleashing mayhem on the people of the South East?
“If people are enjoying what Boko Haram is doing in the North East, or the activities of bandits in North West and Middle-belt, or perhaps, what armed Hausa/Fulani herdsmen are doing, then we too should begin to enjoy this kind of violence. However, if we condemn such violence in the North, why should we allow it to happen in our domain?
“I want the Forest Guards, Ebubeagu, Vigilante Groups to mobilize and team up with other federal security agencies in the zone to ensure that this ugly development is nipped in the bud. We don’t need it in South East. Our people too should be security conscious to report suspicious movements in our surroundings to relevant security agencies,” he said.
He described the late Dr Akunyili as a jolly good fellow and a large-hearted Nigerian who doesn’t deserve to die tragically the way he was killed.
Akunyili’s murder, act of wickedness – Uzodimma
Meantime, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has condemned in the strongest terms the gruesome murder of Dr. Chike Akunyili, husband of the late former Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Dora Akunyili, describing it as an act of wickedness in the highest order which must be condemned in all ramifications.
Governor Uzodimma not only condemned the murder of the medical doctor but harped on the need to ensure that the perpetrators are unmasked and brought to book.
The governor said: “I, on behalf of the government and good people of Imo State, commiserate with the Akunyili Family, the Government and good people of Anambra State over this inhumane act.
“As we pray for the repose of his soul, I believe the government at the state, region and federal would continue to improve our security architecture against these elements and ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.
“As a peaceful and loving race, we are known for our hospitality and unison with the ideology of ‘Onuru ube nwanne agbala oso.’ Let’s eschew violence and embrace peace to pave way for the development of our region.