The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has distanced itself from the killing of an Anglican priest, Rev. Emeka Merenu, in Nkwere Local Government Area of Imo State.
Unknown gunmen alleged to be members of the IPOB’s Eastern Security Network ESN killed the priest-in-charge of St Andrew’s Anglican church, Ihitte-Ukwa, over claims he brought in soldiers to protect the church and the school during the secessionist group’s sit-at-home-order. Read here.
In a statement from its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB said it was senseless associating the group with such carnivorous behavior. The group stressed that they do not kill, let alone kill a priest.
The statement in part reads
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by liberator and prophet of our time, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to distance ourselves from the alleged killing of an Anglican priest in Nkwere LGA of Imo State on Tuesday. IPOB has nothing to do with such barbarity.
Anyone pointing accusing fingers at IPOB for such dastardly act is only doing so to demonise IPOB. We don’t kill let alone a priest is not part of our mandate.
While reiterating its suspension of Monday sit-at-home on Monday and no other sit- at- home order on Friday, IPOB however alleged some miscreants living in Europe sponsored by overzealous politicians to destroy Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB were working with the security agencies to ensure that they succeed torturing innocent Biafrans in the name of enforcing a non-existent sit-at-home.
We have set up a taskforce to deal with such hooligans. My fellow Biafrans there is no crack in IPOB and there is no sit at home order again this week until the day our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will appear in court and our people must disregard any statement that is not from our media and publicity secretary Emma Powerful, our intention is different from those agents making statements on IPOB order but they will soon regret their actions.
IPOB is not going to order sit at home on Friday again because our people have suffered a lot but agent of darkness living in Europe thinks he can succeed but it’s little time he will realize that we are smarter and intelligent than him. Our people should go their normal business on Friday there is no more sitting at home order from IPOB.
It is not in our DNA to kill ordained priest who was not in any way working against Biafran restoration. We want to make it categorically clear that Nigeria security agencies created unknown gunmen which are select Fulani terrorists operating in the name of unknown gunmen.”
