The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied that any member of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), an arm of the group, was killed by the Nigerian Army.
IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful who described the news of the killing of ESN operatives by soldiers as “concocted propaganda”, insisting the “rumour” being peddled by the Nigerian Army Defence Headquarters to the effect that its “OPERATION UDO-KA” in the South East neutralised 27 ESN operatives and arrested over 51 civilians in the month of August was all falsehood.
“The Nigerian Army is just talking trash because the Nigerian Army did not engage ESN at any place in the East. It is very essential that Biafrans understand the mind game being played out by the Nigerian Security apparatus as principally meant to demoralize, create doubt and loss of faith amongst Biafrans in the only institution that is standing between them and their desire and intention to overrun our land through their proxy terror outlet,” Powerful sneered.
“We want to categorically state that no IPOB member or ESN is missing within the said period. All ESN operatives and formations in Biafran Land are fully intact and accounted for.
“The Nigerian military operation code named “UDO-KA” is another “Python Dance” that the Nigerian Army adopted to slaughter innocent people in Igbo land.
“The so-called ESN Operatives that the military claimed to have killed are innocent Igbo youths they picked up at random in our villages and cities. Also the over 51 civilians they claimed to have arrested are innocent people who may have been forcefully taken and their organs harvested.”
Emma Powerful further said: “It’s sad that the DHQ boldly announces daily how many Igbo youths they murder in our land, whereas the Northern region where terrorists and bandits seized their equipment and wreaking havoc is not heavily militarized as is the Biafran territory. If the Nigerian government thinks that they can break our resolve by their continuous silent genocide, then they haven’t learned anything from history.”
 He said IPOB and ESN will neither retreat nor surrender their march to freedom until Biafra referendum is peacefully organized or other objectives of their aggiration fully met.
“On the other hand, the man called Sunday Afordimnze Asika (aka Aboy Ekwensu) that the Nigerian Army claimed to have arrested in Ezinifite in Aguata local government area of Anambra State has never been a member of IPOB and can never be an ESN Operative,” Powerful surmised.
