The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has vowed to hunt down killers tagged ‘unknown gunmen’ who have been on a killing spree in the southeastern part of Nigeria.

It also called on people in the South-East to join hands with it to flush out killers from the region.

It stated that its sit-at-home directive on October 1, Nigeria’s Independence Day, is intact but added that the operatives of its militia wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) will go after gunmen killing South-East residents, in the name of enforcing the exercise.

The pro-Biafra group also alleged that those behind the killing of former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Obadiah Malaifa for speaking against murderous Fulani militia, have begun to also kill in the South.

IPOB alleged that the killers, who also murdered Dr Chike Akunyili in Anambra State, have the backing of the Nigerian government, and are planning to go on rampage on Friday, October 1, when the country will be celebrating its 61 independence anniversary.

The Nnamdi Kanu-led group revealed this in a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, which was obtained by SaharaReporters on Thursday.

The statement partly read, “Following the sit-at-home order on October 1st, 2021, we the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to place every resident of Biafra on red alert over plots by the enemies to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens under the guise of enforcing the sit-at-home order.

“Our volunteers and security operatives should be on alert in every part of Biafra land. We realise that some hoodlums working for our enemies would want to capitalise on this order and attack people and turn around and blame it on IPOB.

“IPOB through its intelligence units has discovered that the Nigerian establishment working with the Fulani Oligarchy has activated their second phase of their plan to take over Indigenous peoples’ ancestral lands.

“Dr Mailafia who revealed this plan of the Fulani to start targeted killings of prominent Southerners has commenced in ernest (sic) with the gruesome murder of Dr. Chike Akunyili.

“They will commit these murders and hide under the name of unknown gunmen to attack more innocent and prominent people during the sit-at-home.

“We are raising this alarm so that Biafrans and residents of Biafraland will beware of this evil plot by these blood suckers. They want to go on killing spree in Biafraland and blame it on IPOB. Everybody will have to be cautious because the enemies are here with their agents of death.”

The separatist group reiterated that it was not involved in the assassination of the husband of the late Dora Akunyili, who was once the Minister of Information and Communications.

It also urged Southern Nigerians to be vigilant of the Fulani terrorists planning to invade the region as projected sometime ago by Ondo state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.

IPOB also blamed the nation’s security agents for being complicit in supporting the atrocities against the South, instead of probing the matter and protecting its people.

The statement further read, “Contrary to campaign of calumny sponsored by our enemies to demonise us, IPOB has no hand in the orgy of attacks in Biafra land. We have no pleasure in attacking or killing our people.

“The ultimate intention of the masterminds of this barbarity is to make Biafra land, especially South East as insecure and porous as the terrorists-infested Northern region.

“We, therefore, want to place our people on red alert over the plot by our enemies to destabilise our region. This has become necessary following the recent revelation by a South West Governor that a Northern governor is exporting bandits from the North to other parts of Nigeria.

“This season calls for more vigilance among our people. We must all synergise as a people to provide security for every resident of Biafra land. We won’t allow our enemies to create the atmosphere of fear and terror in our land.

“We are holding the Nigerian state and some politicians from the Northern part of the country and their fellow politicians in Biafran land using DSS (Department of State Services) and sacked SARS (now defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad) officers accountable for the festering insecurity in our land (sic). They are responsible for the senseless killings going on in Biafraland particularly in Anambra and Imo states.

“It is on record that Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State warned everyone in Nigerian, especially the South about the evil plans of some elements from the North exporting Fulani terrorists and bandits to the South but it fell on deaf ears.

“Why have the DSS, Army, Police, NIA (National Intelligence Agency) and other security agents failed to investigate the revelation? They pretend as if nothing is happening because they are all involved in the evil plan to kill and slaughter Biafrans and Southerners at will in the name of gunmen.

“Whereas the Fulani bandits are wiping out Christian communites in the North as being currently witnessed in Southern Kaduna and Jos, the terrorists in security uniforms are carrying out genocide in Biafra land.

“We are calling on everybody in Biafraland to join hands and support IPOB and ESN to flush out these murderous killers ravaging our land, particularly Imo and Anambra states. Enough of this madness.”