Enugu Police Station Burnt, Many Feared Dead As IPOB Exonerates Members

New Haven Police Station in the Enugu metropolis has been attacked by unknown people. It was gathered that some parts of the police station were burnt, while some sources claimed many were injured and some might have died, a report THE WHISTLER is yet to independently verify. But the chief fire officer of Enugu State, Engr Okwudiri Ohaa, confirmed the fire incident at the police station Sunday night.

The state police public relations officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, could not be contacted before filing the report.

There have been cases of unknown gunmen attacking security operatives in the Southeast of late. In some of the attacks, the invaders carted away police firearms.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had on Sunday absolved its members from recent attacks on security operatives in the Southeast and South-South. Our correspondent in Abakaliki reports that there were cases of attacks on some police operatives and stations in the region, including Enugu, leading to carting away of firearms by the attackers.

Exonerating members of the proscribed group, IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, described the allegations as unfounded because the group ‘does not carry firearms’.

According to him, “We are not armed and have no plans to pick up arms. But should we decide to go into arms struggle, which is not an option on the table, it will not be a secret affair. We won’t depend on arms collected from any security agent to defend Biafra. That is childish and an insult to IPOB.”

He said the claims that the IPOB was responsible for alleged attacks on security operatives in Southeast and South-south was amusing, stating that those peddling such information were doing hatchet jobs.

According to him, “We knew when they were recruited to launch verbal attacks against IPOB and its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. But we want to inform them that IPOB is properly rooted and cannot be moved by false allegations and propaganda. These irritants have sustained their unwarranted attacks on IPOB through fabricated and blatant lies, and cheap propaganda to impress their pay masters.

“Assuming but not conceding to this blatant falsehood: How can an unarmed man attack a fully armed security agent and escape unhurt? Doesn’t it sound funny? What a shameful allegation! We know their aim: to discredit IPOB before the international community which is now interested in the matters we have raised concerning the atrocities perpetrated in Nigeria.

“Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have bothered to dignify these detractors with a response as we have since known their stock in trade, but for the sake of the gullible ones and some innocent minds. There is no iota of truth in this fictitious claim. IPOB is not responsible for any attack against any security agent.”

He further cautioned people behind such allegations to desist from such, explaining that, “Frivolous and concocted allegations to blackmail IPOB can no longer stand. The world now knows better. IPOB’s non-violent ideology about the Biafra project is well known and cannot change. But the inalienable right of the oppressed to defend himself against the oppressor is not illegitimate. All we need is Biafra – our own country which has been in existence before Britain created Nigeria and unequally lumped us together with these murderous Fulani that value cows above human lives. Marriage isn’t by force. We are tired of this bondage and want a referendum to determine our fate. Simple!”