The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has strongly refuted claims by the Nigerian Army that it dismantled hideouts linked to its members and apprehended 13 individuals in Delta State. The group, through its spokesperson Comrade Emma Powerful, described the military’s announcement as mere propaganda aimed at discrediting the movement.
In a statement released on Monday, IPOB condemned the Army’s claims as baseless and challenged the authorities to take the said suspects to court. The group issued a seven-day ultimatum, warning it would pursue legal action if the Nigerian Army failed to formally arraign those arrested.
“We want to make it abundantly clear: IPOB does not operate hideouts, camps, or any so-called terror cells anywhere in Biafra territory, much less in the forests of Delta State,” said Emma Powerful.
According to him, IPOB is a lawful and peace-driven organisation, made up of enlightened individuals rooted in families and urban communities. “We do not dwell in forests; we build homes and develop neighbourhoods grounded in shared values,” he added.
The Nigerian Army had earlier claimed it apprehended 13 suspected members of IPOB during a raid in Delta State, alleging that the detainees were linked to terrorism and violent secessionist activities.
However, IPOB firmly denied these allegations and demanded that any legal evidence be presented before a court, not through what it described as “compromised media narratives or hidden torture chambers.”
“We are calling on the commanding officer of the said military operation to present the 13 individuals in a competent court within seven days. Failure to do so will compel us to file a lawsuit to summon the officer to court, where he must testify under oath and defend these falsehoods,” the statement continued.
The group further accused the Nigerian military of hypocrisy and selective enforcement, alleging that while armed groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandits continue to unleash terror across the North, security forces are fixated on pursuing IPOB members in the South.
“While Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandits are freely wreaking havoc across northern and central Nigeria, the Nigerian Army chooses to stage phantom raids on supposed IPOB camps in the South. It’s absurd. It’s disgraceful,” IPOB remarked.
IPOB, which advocates for the independence of Biafra—a southeastern region that attempted to secede from Nigeria in the 1960s, leading to a devastating civil war—reiterated its identity as an indigenous, non-violent movement led by its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
In its statement, the group distanced itself from any form of terrorism or criminal acts, declaring it has no hand in any violent operation.
“We caution the Nigerian Army, police, and their so-called intelligence units to stop their endless efforts to link IPOB with acts of criminality,” the group warned.
“IPOB is not a violent organisation. We don’t plant explosives on railways. We don’t abduct schoolchildren. We don’t behead military personnel.
“The Nigerian government should shift its focus to fixing its collapsing economy, addressing unpaid workers’ salaries, and managing its growing security failures instead of chasing shadows in Biafra territory,” IPOB concluded.
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