The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Wednesday said the Nigeria Army has burnt down more than 30 houses belonging to innocent citizens in Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi states in the last week.
The pro-Biafra group said the affected persons were victimised because they were sympathisers or Igbo members of the IPOB.
It, however, vowed that the accomplices of the army will be made to pay for their actions.
Emma Powerful, the spokesman for IPOB, issued the warning in a statement on Wednesday, in which he accused South-East governors and regional security outfit, Ebubeagu, of working with the military to kill Igbo people and burn houses in the area.
The statement reads: “We, the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the command and leadership of our great leader and prophet Mazi Nnamdi KANU, wish to state unequivocally that anyone including South-East Governors, involved in sponsoring and encouraging Nigerian soldiers and the infamous Ebubeagu security outfit to burn houses of innocent people suspected to be IPOB members or supporters of Biafra agitation in the South Eastern States, especially Imo State, will never go free.
“These wicked accomplices of the ongoing genocide in Biafra land will soon pay for their treachery and cruelty to fellow citizens. IPOB will not allow this barbarity and cruelty to continue. We will avenge these unprovoked and needless attacks against houses of innocent Biafrans citizens. The mindless burning down of houses in our region by Nigeria security and Ebubeagu cannot go unreciprocated.
“We warned against the formation of Ebubeagu in Biafran land. We knew they were coming to collude with the security agencies in killing our people. People ignored our warning, and today we have been vindicated. Our fears have come true but the wicked will not go free. For doing this to our people, we declare that the days of Ebubeagu in Biafra land are numbered. They will pay for what the military is using them to do against their fellow Biafrans.
“In less than one week now Nigeria army has burnt down more than 30 homes of innocent citizens in Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi because they are Igbo members of IPOB and sympathisers of IPOB. Very soon, we will make public the total number of houses so far burnt down in different parts of Biafra land especially in Enugu, Imo and the Ebonyi States. We also want the governors of these states to take note, and not blame IPOB for any reprisal because we can’t fold our arms to allow criminals in security uniforms to continue to commit genocide in Biafra land unchallenged. Since nobody is defending our hapless people, we shall not abandon them. Enough is enough!
“Again, the politicians supporting and encouraging the Nigeria evil security army and police who cannot withstand terrorists rampaging and ravaging the whole North must pay for their treachery! They will soon face the wrath of the people. Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership is not left out because they have done nothing to stop the mayhem.
“Elders and stakeholders in South-Eastern region should not beg us to calm down when we begin to pay back these agents of death and sorrows in their own coin. Instead, they should tell the Army and Police to stop burning down people’s properties now. By the time we shall begin to reciprocate these atrocities, we won’t listen to anybody.
“We are aware that Nigeria Government and her security agencies have concluded arrangements to introduce the IDP as is the case in the North but they will not succeed.
“South-East Governors must rise against this barbarity if they have no hand in it. There is nowhere in the North where innocent villagers are invaded by security agents and their houses set on fire.”
Calling the attention of foreign missions in Nigeria to the alleged genocide in Imo State, IPOB said, “We are putting the world on notice particularly American Embassy in Abuja, British High Commissioner in Abuja, Israeli Ambassador in Abuja, Russia Embassy in Abuja, French embassy in Abuja, India embassy in Abuja and Canadian Embassy in Abuja of this ongoing genocide.
“They should take note because IPOB will not tolerate this burning down of our communities anymore. Nobody should blame IPOB if we decide to defend our ancestral land against these genocidal attacks.”
