Separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, has assured ‘responsible Fulani herdsmen’ carrying out their legitimate business in the South-East that they and their sources of livelihoods will be protected by it and its militia wing, the Eastern Security Network.
IPOB, in a statement on Wednesday, said the group and the ESN were only after the “criminal and terrorist Fulanis” who masquerade as herdsmen only to go about terrorizing the people and destroying their businesses.
In the statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group said it was out to confront the “terrorists especially the ones causing mayhem in Abia and Imo States.”
“We, the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, commend the doggedness of our great security outfit called the Eastern Security Network (ESN) who confronted the terrorists masquerading as herdsmen at Lokpanta on 22nd July 2022.
“We commend the IPOB leadership who has seen what our people are going through at the hands of these terrorists kidnapping for ransom, raping our mothers on farms, killing our men on their farms and snatching cars from all the travellers following the routes in Isiukwuato, Umunneochi, Isuochi and Okigwe since over two years but the government refused to heed to the crying of the citizens.
“IPOB hails them for doing the needful in that area; we are not pursuing responsible Fulanis not to do their legitimate business.
“But we are after those terrorists masquerading as herdsmen kidnapping and destroying our people’s lives and farmlands in that area.
“We also warn the Fulani terrorists not to venture to attack any community in the area as in their nature.
“If they carry out any further attack on communities, especially in Abia and Imo States, that means Fulani will no longer be allowed to do business again in the states.
“IPOB advise all Fulanis in a legitimate business to ensure they stay within the designated areas assigned for them,” the statement said.