The Indigenous People of Biafra has refuted the claims by the Nigerian Army that it was responsible for the attack on the Owerri Correctional Center in Imo State on April 5, 2021.
IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful made this disclosure in a statement on Friday.
He described the accusation as dubiosity and media blackmail by the Army authorities.
“IPOB is not responsible for the Owerri jailbreak,” he said.
“The security agencies, especially the army, masterminded the attack to free criminals who have been used to create insecurity in the land of Biafra, particularly in Imo State, just to blackmail IPOB,” Powerful added.
IPOB alleged that the attack was orchestrated by the Nigerian security forces, pointing to the proximity of the correctional center to various security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Command headquarters, the State CID, six police stations, the Government House, DSS office, Naval Command, and Military base at Obinze.
The separatist group raised concerns about the lack of response from the nearby security forces during the nearly four-hour-long attack, which occurred without any resistance or casualties.
“Where were all the surrounding security forces within Owerri when the attack was going on and numerous gunshots were heard?” Comrade Powerful asked. “Who then ordered these security forces not to respond to the distressed calls during the attack which lasted nearly four hours? What kind of jailbreak can last four hours without confrontation from any of the avalanche of Security Forces in and around Owerri municipal if not coordinated by the Government itself?”
IPOB also claimed that the Nigerian government has refused to open an investigation into the attack for over three years, and only recently added the 2021 Owerri jailbreak to the list of its blackmailing strategies against IPOB in 2024.
“The Nigerian Army should respect their institution and focus on confronting the insurmountable insecurity challenges in Nigeria instead of being a tool for government propaganda,” he said.
