IPOB gave the warning in a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, on Monday while dissociating itself from the attack.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned the Nigeria Police Force to desist from linking it with the attack on the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
IPOB gave the warning in a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, on Monday while dissociating itself from the attack.
INEC spokesperson, Festus Okoye, had announced that the Commission’s office in Oru was vandalised on Sunday.
Last Thursday, Okoye said INEC’s office in the Orlu Local Government Area of Imo was vandalised and partially set ablaze by some yet-to-identified hoodlums.
This came a few days after similar incidents occurred in Ebonyi, Ogun and Osun states, hence, Okoye in the statement lamented, “This is one attack too many. The Commission once again expresses its concern over the spate of attacks on its facilities and the negative consequences on our preparations for the 2023 General Election.”
The police have however accused the separatist group, IPOB of being behind the recent attack.
Reacting to the incident, IPOB said it has nothing to do with the incident and should not be associated with it.
IPOB insisted that neither its members nor members of its militant wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) had anything to do with the electoral body or elections.
“We have never supported nor involved ourselves in any election obstruction or violence as a movement.
“The only action we can take is to call our people to boycott voting if the need arises. But as of today, IPOB is not interested in Nigeria and its electoral activities and has never asked anyone to carry out any attack on our behalf,” the group said.
It further noted, “For the Nigerian government and her compromised Police to link IPOB and ESN to their sponsored attacks on INEC offices has shown that they are deluded, misguided, deceitful and don't know the norms on which IPOB operates.
“The Nigerian government and her security agencies are working day and night to blackmail IPOB self-determination movement. They sponsor criminals to attack government facilities so they can rush to the media to blame the attacks on IPOB and ESN without investigation. There has never been any time that Nigeria Police carried out any public inquiry on all the numerous attacks and arsons that they blamed IPOB for.”
According to the group, “ESN operatives never attacked INEC office because we are not interested in Nigeria's forthcoming election in 2023”.
“Anyone or group blaming IPOB or ESN for any attack on INEC facilities is under the influence of some powerful drugs. IPOB will not spare anybody using our name to disrupt elections, and nobody should link us with those who are destroying election materials.
“Both government agencies and those attacking INEC facilities are working together to blackmail IPOB. That's why the same security agencies have never arrested any of the so-called attackers. Every Nigeria Police propaganda and blackmail against IPOB and ESN will destroy what is remaining of Nigeria Police integrity before the public and the international Community.
“Our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has said it several times that he has not asked anyone to carry out any attack on his behalf, therefore nobody should link us with the attack on INEC office in Owerri, Imo State. IPOB is a civilized and disciplined Biafra Independence movement. We are not criminals nor are we part of their election thugs.
“The Nigerian government, politicians and her security agencies are recruiting criminals and hoodlums to attack election materials and linking it to IPOB and ESN.
“Every sponsored blackmail against IPOB will not stop us, instead, it will inspire us to press on for Biafra restoration,” IPOB maintained.