Police claims that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) attacked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facilities in Imo State on Monday have been refuted.
Goldennewsng reports that IPOB stated that it is not interested in the general elections in 2023.
This information was made public in a press release distributed to journalists in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, by the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful.
He warned that IPOB would not spare anyone who participated in the destruction of INEC facilities while pretending to be doing so on behalf of the pro-Biafra movement and advised security agencies to stop linking the group to the senseless attacks.
Because we are not interested in the upcoming elections that will take place in Nigeria in 2023, ESN agents have never attacked the INEC office. Anyone or any group who attributes any attack on INEC facilities to IPOB or ESN is under the influence of potent drugs.
He stated, “IPOB will not spare anyone using our name to disrupt the election, and nobody should link us with those who are destroying election materials.” Powerful also accused security agencies of storing information regarding the actual identities of those who were responsible for the attacks on INEC facilities.
If the alleged attackers were indeed members of the IPOB, why had the security agencies not arrested them?
He blamed legislators for enrolling crooks and gangsters “to go after political decision materials and fault it on IPOB and ESN.”
Stakeholders, according to Daily Trust, were concerned about recent attacks on INEC facilities in the South East, which resulted in the loss of permanent voter cards and other electoral materials.
As of late, INEC workplaces in Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Abia and Imo have been leveled by shooters.
In the Orlu Local Government Area of Imo, the INEC office was attacked on Friday. The attack was attributed by the police to individuals suspected of being IPOB members.
The IPOB, on the other hand, stated, “The Nigerian Government and its security agencies are working day and night to blackmail the IPOB self-determination movement.” Without conducting an investigation, criminals attack government facilities and rush to the media to blame IPOB and ESN.
“Nigeria Police have never conducted any public inquiry on the numerous attacks and arsons they blamed IPOB for,” the statement reads.
