IPOB Urges Nigerian Army to Focus on Protecting Citizens, Denies Links to Alleged Criminal

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged the Nigerian Army to concentrate on its constitutional duty of safeguarding lives and property instead of “engaging in propaganda and blackmail” against the group.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB dismissed claims allegedly linking a man identified as Mr. Nwankwo Maduabuchi, also known as Emergency, and his wife to the organisation or its security arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

> “For the avoidance of doubt, the said Maduabuchi Nwankwo (a.k.a. Emergency) is not a member of IPOB, nor is he an operative of the ESN,” the statement read.

“The Nigerian Army and other security agencies should desist from their habitual falsehood and stop dragging IPOB into their own state-sponsored criminal enterprises in the South-East,” it added.

Powerful described attempts to associate IPOB or ESN with the suspect as “malicious and unprofessional,” accusing the military of prioritising “false narratives over effective security operations.”

The group maintained that IPOB is a peaceful, law-abiding movement advocating for the right to self-determination through democratic and legal means, while the ESN, it said, was created to defend communities against criminal attacks.

> “IPOB members are disciplined, law-abiding, and unarmed civilians committed to the peaceful pursuit of Biafra self-determination. Likewise, ESN operatives are well-organised, disciplined vigilantes whose sole mission is to protect Biafran farmers and communities,” the statement noted.

The organisation further criticised the Nigerian Army for failing to address what it described as “rampant insecurity” across the country, urging the military to focus on combating terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry.

> “The Nigerian Army should be ashamed of its inability to safeguard citizens from incessant killings and kidnappings. Rather than wasting energy on blackmailing IPOB and ESN, they should redirect their focus to the real security threats,” Powerful said.

IPOB reiterated that its demand for a referendum on Biafra is rooted in “democracy, dialogue, and international law.”

As of press time, the Nigerian Army had yet to issue a formal response to IPOB’s statement.