The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has come out to say that the murdered Commander of its security outfit, Eastern Security Network, ESN was not killed in battle, contrary to previous reports.
It was earlier reported by the Nigerian army that the overall commander of the ESN, a man popularly known as Ikonso Commander, was killed during a gun battle.
Recall that the Nigerian army carried out a joint operation with other security outfits in Imo State on Saturday, April 24 which led to the death of the ESN Commander and several others.
However, in a statement on Tuesday by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB has denied that the commander was killed in battle, saying that he was murdered will asleep because of his stance against herdsmen in the Southeast.
“The bitter truth the Nigerian Government didn’t want people to hear, which IPOB disclosed at the said interview, was that Ikonso was murdered in his father’s house, not in any imaginary ESN camp or battlefield as the liars would hope to have us believe,” the IPOB spokesman said.
Emma Powerful also claimed that the army, police and DSS had been partial in handling the insecurity in the region. According to him, no Fulani bandit was arrested prior to the moment that the ESN leader, Ikonso, began to avenge his people.
“The same Army, Police and DSS in Imo State that never for one day arrested or prosecuted any Fulani terror herdsman ravaging Imo State before the coming of Ikonso; the same Nigerian security agents that have always provided cover for terrorists and bandits, had the guts to ambush and kill the only man that drove Fulani terrorist herdsmen out of Imo State,” he said.
The proscribed secessionist group which accused the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma of plotting the death of the commander, has also vowed to launch a reprisal attack. The group is quoted to have said that the governor will pay “dearly” for the attacks.