‘We don’t harass Northerners as claimed by Northern elders – IPOB

By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has dismissed as false and unfounded, the allegation by Northern elders that IPOB and her Easter Security Network, ESN, harass Northerners.

The spokesperson of IPOB, Emma Powerful, who denied the allegation stated that the statement credited to the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) accusing IPOB of harassing the Northerners in the East and mass killing of Fulani cows was false.

“For public record purposes, IPOB and ESN are not attacking Northerners including law abiding Fulanis in the East. There are many responsible and law abiding Northerners including Fulanis doing legitimate businesses in the East without anyone harassing them. However, IPOB/ESN are pursuing criminal elements and terrorists in our bushes, forests, and farmlands who are terrorizing our people, raping our women, killing our farmers and destroying our farmlands and communities.

“On the mass killing of cows in the East, IPOB/ESN takes responsibility for slaughtering the cows that these terrorists are using as conduits to occupy our farmlands and destroying our crops just to send the message that we don’t want terrorists in our bushes and farmlands.

“Moreover, open grazing has been banned by the South East Governor’s Forum since 2020. There are houses for rent in all the cities and towns in Biafra Land. There is no region that has houses more than the East in Nigeria. Any Fulani who is interested in doing a legitimate business should rent a house or properties like other citizens and not to go and occupy bushes and graze in people’s farms.

“If the Northerners that are doing legitimate businesses in the cities should allow the Northern Elders Forum to refer to them as being harassed by IPOB because they are the sophisticated terrorists, mass murderers, rapists and kidnappers in the Biafra forests and bushes, they will continue to be harassed by ESN until they vacate and and stop coming into our territory.

“Their notorious activities in every part of Nigeria are in the public domain. ESN and IPOB do not romance with or pamper criminals and terrorists. Therefore, NEF can hold their peace and advise their foot soldiers for jihadist to back off from Biafra Region.

“The Fulani terrorists nicknamed herdsmen have slaughtered and displaced many indigenous communities in Nigeria. Not once have their backers in the Northern Elders Forum condemned the murderous activities of Fulani herdsmen, especially in the Eastern region and Middle belt region. Elders are supposed to be peace makers but the Northern Elders Forum are instigating trouble by saying that IPOB are attacking Northerners especially Hausas and other tribes living in the East.

“The Northern Elders Forum should tell their boys parading as herdsmen to stop any form of planned attack on Biafra community or meet their waterloo. They must stop open grazing, kidnapping for ransom, raping of women and destruction of our farms or continue to face ESN and IPOB venom.

“NEF should know that ESN has the mandate to protect our civilian population against criminals and terrorists. Biafrans believe in the sanctity of human lives” the group stressed.