The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has issued a strong call for the release of two brothers and several other individuals reportedly abducted in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State. The group has urged the Nigerian Army and local vigilante groups to free those taken into custody without any legitimate cause.
In a statement released by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group expressed its concerns over the alarming rate of unlawful arrests and detentions of innocent Igbo youths, particularly those who have recently returned from overseas.
The two brothers, identified as Obinna Okafor and Amarachi Okafor, were allegedly seized by Nigerian soldiers and members of the Ihiala Vigilante group while they were simply sitting in a local restaurant. According to IPOB, these abductions are part of a broader strategy to intimidate and extort the Igbo community, both locally and abroad.
“The IPOB family, under the indomitable leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, demands the immediate release of Obinna and Amarachi Okafor, who hail from Ubuluisiuzo Community in Ihiala. These young men were wrongfully taken by those who are supposed to protect them, not harm them,” the statement reads.
Emma Powerful further accused the Ihiala Vigilante group of becoming complicit in the Nigerian Army’s actions, which IPOB alleges are designed to terrorize and exploit the Igbo people. The group has called on local leaders, including the President-General and Traditional Rulers of Ihiala, to rein in the vigilante group and ensure the safety of their community members.
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“Vigilante groups were established to safeguard communities, not to collaborate with external forces against their own people. Any member of these groups found assisting in these unlawful activities will be held accountable,” Powerful warned.
IPOB also condemned the broader actions of the Nigerian Army and Police in the Eastern Region, accusing them of engaging in systematic harassment, abduction, and extortion of Igbo youths. The group claimed that these security forces are involved in illegal activities, including organ trafficking and ransom demands, often under the guise of targeting members of IPOB or the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“The Nigerian Army and Police have turned into a terrorizing force in our communities, preying on innocent people and looting their properties. We demand that the two brothers, Obinna and Amarachi, along with any other innocent individuals in custody, be released immediately. These young men are law-abiding citizens, and any attempt to frame them as criminals will not be tolerated,” the statement concluded.
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