IPOB disassociated itself and ESN operatives from what it described as “Nigerian Government’s baseless accusation of the murder of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak.”
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has denied any involvement in the killing of a former Political Adviser to the ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak and the abduction of a female soldier, P. P. Johnson, in Enugu State.
The police had accused IPOB of being responsible for the killing of Gulak in Imo State last May. A suspected commander of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), IPOB’s militant wing, Chinwendu, aka Onye Army, who was recently arrested, also identified the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, as one of their sponsors.
Reacting to the allegation on Thursday, IPOB in a statement by Powerful disassociated itself and ESN operatives from what it described as “Nigerian Government’s baseless accusation of the murder of Alhaji Ahmed Gulak.”
The secessionist group accused the police of linking it with the crimes to cover up political assassinations allegedly carried out by sponsored criminal elements.
IPOB said, “It is very pathetic and unfortunate that Nigeria Police in Imo State who once claimed they have uncovered the murderers and killers of Alhaji Gulak have turned around and are now blackmailing IPOB years after the murder with the same case.
“In desperation to blackmail IPOB, Nigerian Government keeps rubbishing themselves by linking IPOB and ESN to the murder of an innocent man who visited Imo State for his business deal with Hope Uzodinma is not only wicked but stupid.
“At the time Alhaji Gulak was murdered, Nigeria Police tried to hang the murder on IPOB using the media, but Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma publicly dissociated and exonerated IPOB from the murder.
“The Governor of Imo State referred to the murder as a political killing. We are surprised today that Imo State police started again with their Nigeria gutter media propaganda to blackmail IPOB with the same fake information being made available to the public.”
IPOB further noted that for the “police to make frivolous claims on this murder case, they need to answer these important questions: Does Alhaji Gulak have any business with IPOB? Is he in any way obstructing IPOB agitation? Who invited the man to Imo State? Who organized his movement to and from Imo State Airport and his security details? Has there been any time that IPOB has ever gone after our enemy let alone non-enemies?”
Regarding the detained Onye Army, an army deserter allegedly behind the terror attacks in Imo State, IPOB said, “The so-called runaway soldier by the name Chinwendu, aka Onye Army, has never joined ESN, so that was staged to demonise IPOB.
“IPOB does not know him, let alone have him be a Commander in ESN. He was known to be one of the political thugs of Hope Uzodinma. If he was contracted by Hope Uzodinma to murder Alhaji Gulak because of his business deal with him, IPOB should not be roped into their shenanigan, business, politics, or assassination.
“IPOB and ESN operatives are disciplined and focused. We are not political and don’t get involved in Nigerian political thuggery.
“DSP Abattam, the Imo State Police spokesperson, must mind himself and stop ridiculing himself and their police institution.
“Similarly, Nigeria Army has again started building up another lies (sic) against innocent IPOB that IPOB captured an Army Lt in Enugu, IPOB is not responsible for the abduction of this Army woman and IPOB is not unknown gunmen and can never be, we are advising the Nigerian Army to arrest those responsible for this heinous crime against women.
“You can understand that the abductors of the Army woman made it clear in the viral video that unknown gunmen have nothing to do with the IPOB movement. We wonder why the Nigerian Army and police always blame IPOB for any criminality seen in the region.”
