Proposed military, police operation in South East a declaration of war — IPOB

By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has kicked against the recent security meeting held in Aso Rock by Service Chiefs with President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that South East was not represented.

The group wondered why a meeting where far reaching decisions on how to quell insecurity in the Eastern region could be held without anyone from the zone in attendance.

A statement on Thursday by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, strongly condemned the meeting and its decision to undertake fresh military and police operations, including the shoot-at-sight order of Acting Inspector General of Police Usman Baba.

The statement partly reads: “The action of the federal government is nothing but a declaration of war against Biafrans. The Buhari-led administration and his Service Chiefs have no moral justification to take a military action against South East without a South Easterner in attendance at the meeting where such decision was purportedly taken.

“This, and of course the appointment of Service Chiefs were in clear violation of the principles of Federal Character enshrined in the zoo’s constitution.

“It’s on record that nobody from South East was present or invited at the meeting where such critical decisions were taken. Despite the mounting public outcry trailing the decision of the Fulani controlled federal government to commence another military operation in the Eastern region as approved at the meeting with shoot-on-sight order against Igbo youths and Biafra agitators, the security agencies are bent on carrying out the order.”

Powerful said that IPOB’s intelligence unit has uncovered another secret meeting where the federal government of Nigeria authorised the security Chiefs to crush IPOB members, Biafra agitators and youths in the Eastern region, assuring them of adequate protection against any prosecution by human rights organisations.

Powerful lambasted Acting IGP Usman Baba for his directive during the launch of special Police operation for South East tagged ‘Operation Restore Peace’ held in Enugu on Tuesday, describing it as a confirmation of the people’s fear.

Baba had asked police personnel not to wait for any other special order before they start killing protesters and anyone confronting them in the zone, even as he assured them of federal protection against human rights allegations or prosecutions.

He added: “The IGP urged police personnel to take the war to the people in their homes.

He specifically directed them to ensure they eliminate anybody suspected to be a Biafran agitator or IPOB member, and not to bother bringing them to Police stations anymore.

“We are equally aware that the Fulani-controlled Federal Government of Nigeria had ordered another military operation codenamed ‘Operation Restore Peace’ in the South East and South South. This is only but another ‘Operation Massacre Biafrans’ in disguise.

“There are so many security challenges in the North where the rampaging Boko Haram terrorists and bandits have siezed the control of many communities and Local Government Areas, yet there is no shoot-on-sight order declared by the Buhari-led federal government. South East and South South are not in war with anybody but Fulani terrorists supported by Nigeria government brought war in our land, killing innocent people while pointing accusing fingers at IPOB members and ESN operatives,” IPOB said in the statement.

It called on every indigenous community in Biafraland to apply caution and be prepared, adding that they have brought the war to the door step.

“They have already started burning people’s houses and killing them. But our God shall fight for us and we will defeat them. The same way they could not crush us during the three-year Biafra war, they won’t be able to prevail even now.

“We are also want to put the world on notice that Buhari and his Service Chiefs should be held accountable for any genocide or war in Eastern Nigeria.

“They brought the war to our door steps and we have no option but to defend our ancestral land. And that we must do irrespective of the cost,” the statement added.