BIAFRA ; IPOB accuses Ebonyi of sponsoring attacks, govt denies

Leadership of outlawed group, the Indigenous People of Biafra on Wednesday accused the Ebonyi State Government of forming a group known as Bakassi  Boys, to stop IPOB’s agitation for the restoration of Biafra Republic.

A statement by the separatist group signed by their spokesman, Emma Powerful, said the group was mainly formed to fight IPOB, adding that they would not be dissuaded.

“We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra  wish to warn the Ebonyi State Government and all those unfortunate enough to be recruited into their Janjaweed Bakassi boys to fight IPOB that henceforth they will be treated as agents of RUGA and enemy of the people of Biafra.

“IPOB Intelligence units on the ground continue to report the treacherous activities of this outfit formed to provide grass roots support to invading Fulani terror herdsmen in Ebonyi State, raping our mothers and destroying our villages.

“Inviting Nigerian Army, Bakassi Boys and a myriad of local Fulani informants in parts of Ebonyi will not deter us; instead, it will embolden IPOB resistance to this blatant Fulanisation of the land of Biafra. When we said no inch of Biafraland will be conceded to the terrorist Miyetti Allah group (Fulani herdsmen) we meant every word of it.

But the state government denied the existence of Bakasi Boys.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Border Peace, Chief Stanley Emegha, IPOB for the rumour.

The commissioner said, “There is no security outfit that can be established in this state without the knowledge of the state government and there is nothing like Bakassi Boys.

“What we have, which is constitutionally approved by our House of Assembly, is the state Neighbourhood Watch and everybody knows their activities. Their conducts have limitations, there are certain extent they don’t go. They give tips to police, their activities does not cross this level and they are purely to checkmate crime.”