Proscribed Igbo separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied having a hand in attacks targeted at northern truck drivers in the South-East, alleging that the allegations were part of a government-sponsored attempt to blackmail the group.
The group which was reacting to protests staged by truck drivers in some parts of the country alleging the killing of northern drivers transporting goods to the South-East by gunmen suspected to be IPOB members, dismissed the claims as baseless and cannot hold water.
In a statement issued late Monday by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, titled “Northern Truck Drivers Sponsored to Blackmail IPOB,” the Biafran agitators described the accusations as false and politically motivated, insisting that the group had no reason to harm those supplying goods to the region.
“The attention of the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been drawn to the fallacious and sponsored protest staged in the Northern city of Jos, Plateau State, claiming that IPoB attacked truck drivers in the South-East,” the statement said.
“For a decade since IPOB started, we have been confronted with various state-sponsored blackmail and media propaganda aimed at portraying IPoB as a violent movement. IPOB’s only crime against the Nigerian state is our demand for self-determination via a referendum.
“IPOB and ESN members are not violent and do not engage in attacking or killing people. We cannot confirm any attack or killing of truck drivers in the South-East Region.
“We assume that such a claim by the sponsored protesting drivers in Plateau State is unfounded.
“Even if such an incident happened, why would IPOB members or ESN operatives attack innocent truck drivers conveying goods to our region?
“Those that sponsored the touts they called truck drivers in Plateau State to falsely accuse IPOB are the same people sponsoring insecurity in the region.
“IPOB hereby calls on the public to disregard this propaganda as we are determined to achieve our self actualisation through peaceful means,” the statement added.
Source: Ripples