IPOB Raised Alarm Over The Arrest And Detention Of Members

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised the alarm over the arrest and detention of its members in the Southeast.

It called on the international community to prevail on security agencies to stop indiscriminate arrests of innocent members.

In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB also demanded unconditional release of those it claimed were illegally arrested at different communities in Enugu and Imo states.

The statement reads in part: “These people are innocent and should be released unconditionally.

“They are not criminals as being tagged by the security agencies.

“Nigerian security must stop unleashing mayhem on the people because they are Igbo or Biafrans.

“The corrupt politicians who connive with the security agencies to oppress our people should be ready for the day of accountability for it will surely come.”

The group said one Godwin Nnaji was arrested and labelled a commander of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Nkanu East, Enugu State.

“The young man was not a member of ESN or IPOB member,” Powerful said.

“We are calling the civilised World, European Union (EU), African Union (AU), Amnesty International (AI), and other reputable human rights organisations across the globe to intervene and prevail on the Nigerian government, Army, Police and DSS to stop arresting innocent citizens of Biafra and release those illegally arrested at different communities in Enugu State and Imo State,” the group added.

The Nigerian Army has accused IPOB and its security arm ESN of being behind most of the acts of violence in the region.

IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu is on trial over treasonable felony charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since he was brought back to the country.

IPOB claimed Kanu is a victim of extraordinary rendition.

The charges against Kanu read in part:

*Bright Chimezie, Chidiebere Onwidiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawuisi and Kanu, in 2014 and 2015, in Nigeria and London, conspired to broadcast on Radio Biafra their plan to secede from Nigeria and form the Republic of Biafra, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C77 of 2004.

*Kanu illegally smuggled radio transmitters into Nigeria, which he used to disseminate “hate broadcasts”, encouraging the “secession of the Republic of Biafra”, from Nigeria.

*Kanu imported a Radio transmitter known as TRAM 50L, which was concealed in a container that was declared as used household items, to use same to disseminate information about secession plans by the IPOB.

*Kanu, “on or about the 28th April, 2015 in London, United Kingdom did in a broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu state and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, referred to Major General Muhammadu Buhari, GCON, President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a paedophile, a terrorist, an idiot and an embodiment of evil, knowing same to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C. 38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.

*The defendants committed treasonable felony, an offence punishable under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

*The defendants managed the affairs of the IPOB, “an unlawful society”.

The Nation Newspaper