A native doctor and 67 members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have been arrested for unlawful assembly.
Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, Mr Isaac Akinmoyede made the disclosure on Wednesday.
He said that operatives of the 34 Field Artillery Brigade while on duty at Mmahu Egbema Check point, “intercepted Sixty-Seven (67) members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) at about 0930hrs, and called for reinforcement from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Egbema.”
The Police Boss disclosed that the IPOB members were on their way to see the native doctor to fortify them against bullet penetration when they were arrested in Orji, Owerri North Local Government Area of the state on August 9.
“It is also noteworthy that the group attacked and snatched two rifles from Police during a violent protest in 2018, of which the rifles were later recovered from a kidnap gang in a robbery operation.
“It will be recalled that this organization (IPOB) has been proscribed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, as such, any such gathering by the group is viewed as unlawful.
“They will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded,” Akinmoyede said.
IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful who reacted on behalf of IPOB, said, “We are warning Nigeria government and her security agencies to allow IPOB because we are peaceful in all our activities since the formation of this noble movement to liberate our people.
“Nigeria security operatives are deriving joy in arresting and slaughtering of IPOB family members since 2015 while their brothers terrorists herdsmen and their Boko Haram counterpart are busy causing mayhem throughout Nigeria without security officers struggle to stop them.
“We are calling Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State to instruct his country security to release our members before it is late.
“Nigeria government and her army of terrorists have been looking for our trouble and they must get it when we are ready. At the appropriate time they will regret their actions against IPOB members.”
