The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state to order the release of its members arrested by the state Police Command.
Concise News reports that members of the group staged a protest on Tuesday, weeks after 33 members of the group were arrested in Nnewi, Anambra state, and paraded for purportedly killing a policeman.
Speaking on the protest, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Chris Ezike, in a telephone interview with The Nation, said the command arrested 37 members of the outlawed group.
Reacting to the arrest in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the IPOB warned that if Ikpeazu and the State Commissioner of Police fail to ensure the release of its members, they would “live to regret what will come upon them.”
The secessionist, who gave the number of arrested members as fifty-four, frowned at what it described as the incessant arrest of the Jewish worshippers and IPOB members by security agents in the state.
“We are warning Abia state police commissioner to release them, the 54 innocent citizens of Biafra who were doing peaceful evangelism in Umuahia for Biafra freedom. We blame Okezie Ikpeazu and Abia police commissioner the damage this action may cause in Abia state if they fail to release these innocent Jewish worshipers exercising their rights. Okezie Ikpeazu and police commissioner must release those arrested without further delay or they will live to regret what will come upon them soon,” the group said.
The statement added: “IPOB is firmly rooted with peaceful way to restore Biafra and cannot change its resolve to become violent organization because of high handedness Nigeria Government and her security agencies especially police and army officers are using against IPOB members since inception of this peaceful means adopted by our supreme leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. We are calling on Nigeria Police and Army officers to stop this humiliation and harassment forthwith on anybody identified with IPOB family worldwide or face the consequences.
“We are aware that Abia police commissioner and other security officers in Umuahia Abia state are working hard to please their Hausa Fulani slaves’ masters in Abuja but Hausa Fulani caliphate and their collaborators must deny them at the appropriate time.
“However, IPOB must not fail to warn police commissioner and Okezie Ikpeazu once again if they fail to release these innocent citizens who committed no crime against anybody or Nigeria state that means they should prepare and wait for IPOB action. We are coming on Nigeria police soon because you cannot continue killing and intimidating innocent and unarmed IPOB faithful and go Scot free.
“We promise to remain peaceful in every of our approach asking Nigerian government never push IPOB to pick up arms against anybody because it won’t be good to all and sundry in Nigeria,” the statement read.
