File photo: Members of IPOB during protest in AnambraThe proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied having hands in the lingering violence and sit-at-home order in the Southeast, pointing accusing fingers at one Simon Ekpa, who leads a splinter group called ‘Auto-Pilots.’
The pro-Biafra group who spoke when its leaders met with the Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo also claimed that Ekpa and his gang are behind killings and other atrocities in the region.
The splinter group leader, Ekpa, who was made the Director-General of IPOB’s pirate Radio Biafra shortly after the arrest and extradition of Kanu from Kenya last year, formed a parallel-group called ‘IPOB Auto-Pilot’ shortly after he was removed as the DG, has been having a running battle with the group.
In a statement by the IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful claimed that Ekpa and his gang have been threatening residents of the South-East over non-compliance with the Monday sit-at-home order.
The separatist group has continued to impose a weekly sit-at-home order in the South-East last year in a bid to force the Federal Government to release Kanu, who is standing trial for an alleged treasonable felony at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
However, after the group cancelled the sit-at-home order in September 2021, reports of forceful and violent enforcement of the order by suspected thugs persisted in the region.
Despite attempts to clear its name from the violence in the South-East, fingers were still pointed at the group for a series of attacks on residents and security operatives in the region.
The statement read: “We the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to tell Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State that IPOB is not responsible for the criminality in South-East, including Anambra State.”
