Owerri Blasts: We Are Not Responsible For The Attacks Says IPOB

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Tuesday, April 6th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has vehemently denied that its security outfit, Eastern Security Network (ESN), was responsible for the attack on the Imo State police headquarters and the Nigeria Correctional Centre both in Owerri, the state capital on Monday.

IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, in a statement on Monday insisted that ESN and IPOB were focused on chasing Fulani herdsmen away from South East forests.

Said in the statement: “ESN is in the bush chasing Fulani terrorists. Why linking IPOB and ESN to this attack? IPOB and ESN were not involved in the attack in Owerri, Imo State and the recent attack on Onitsha Owerri Road at Ukwuorji junction.

“It is not our mandate to attack security personnel or prison facilities.

“The Nigeria Government and her compromised media outfits should stop linking IPOB and ESN to the multiple attacks going on in Nigeria now.

“IPOB was formed on the principle of peace and we are still in it. Unknown gunmen is a different people which we don’t know them and they are not IPOB or ESN security outfit,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the deadly insurgent attacks that took place on the Police Command Headquarters and the Correctional Facility both in Owerri, Imo State, on Monday, calling them acts of Terrorism.

In his reaction to the incident early on Monday, President Buhari praised the initial response by security guards and security forces for preventing greater loss of life and the destruction of public property.

The President directed security and intelligence agencies in the state and the geo-political zone to fully mobilize and go after the terrorists, apprehend them and get them punished under the full weight of the law.

He also called for the best efforts to be made to re-arrest fleeing prison inmates many of whom are believed to be deadly criminals.

President Buhari then appealed to members of the public to assist the law enforcement agencies with any relevant information that could lead to the apprehension of these criminals who perpetrated these despicable acts.

He also urged members of the public to be vigilant as all of us have a stake in preserving our way of life

From disruption by terrorists and anarchists while the Federal Government will use every available tool at its disposal to confront and terminate this bare-faced anarchy.