The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has dissociated itself from criminal gangs terrorising communities in Imo State and allegedly forcefully conscripting some youths of Okigwe area, Agwa in Oguta local government area of the state.
IPOB on Wednesday in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said that membership of its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) is voluntary and not by force.
“IPOB totally disassociates ourselves from this forceful conscription and the consequential criminal activities going on in Okigwe province and any other place in Biafraland.
“IPOB condemns the forceful conscription. We, therefore, reaffirm our commitment to a peaceful approach in demanding for our inalienable right to self-determination until further notice. For now, the only group in IPOB that bears arms are ESN Operatives.
“ESN Operatives are volunteers. ESN was established to dislodge fulani terrorists masquerading as herdsmen who hitherto occupied our bushes and forests from where they launched deadly attacks on our people in our communities.
“We are using this medium to call on the communities in Okigwe province to resist any forceful conscription into criminal gangs by infiltrators. We do not force or conscript anyone to join IPOB or ESN,” Powerful stated.
He said that membership of ESN or IPOB is voluntary and not by force, noting that recruitment into ESN was closed for over two years ago.
“Therefore, let it be known to the youths who joined the criminal conscription to understand that they are not IPOB or ESN members and are definitely not working for Mazi Nnamdi KANU.
“ESN Operatives are disciplined Operatives and can not force anyone to join them. Any group forcing people to join them are criminals and not ESN Operatives or IPOB family members.
“Any Igbo son who wants to become a willing tool of the Nigeria government to destabilize and kill Ndigbo in order to blackmail IPOB will end up in shame and be brought to book in due time.”