The Indigenous People of Biafra has distanced itself from Nwaogu Ihechimere Ezeakolam, a retired operative of the Department of State Services who was arraigned before an Abuja Federal High Court on Thursday on a four-count charge bordering on terrorism.
In a statement on Friday by spokesman Emma Powerful, IPOB said it does not know the suspect and warned the DSS to stop dragging the group into what it described as propaganda operations.
“IPOB does not know this man. He is not an IPOB officer, operative, representative or agent known to our command structure. Whatever issues exist between him and his former employers are matters for them. The DSS must stop using IPOB’s name as a convenient label for its internal dramas,” the group said.
The statement expressed concern that “another stranger has been linked to IPOB” even when the court has not determined the allegations. IPOB challenged the DSS to produce evidence of Ezeakolam’s membership, demanding specifics on who recruited him, into which family he was admitted, and what office he occupied.
“Membership is not established merely because the DSS writes ‘IPOB’ on a charge sheet,” the statement added.
Ezeakolam was arraigned before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was ordered remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending his bail application.
IPOB raised suspicion over the decision to remand the former intelligence operative in Kuje Prison, suggesting the move could be a covert operation to infiltrate the custodial centre and obtain information .
“A former DSS operative, prosecuted by the DSS, is now remanded inside Kuje Correctional Centre. That combination cannot be waved away. Custodial environments are known targets for intelligence gathering and infiltration,” the group stated.
IPOB asked: “Is this a genuine prosecution, or is the alleged IPOB connection being used as cover to place an intelligence asset or informant inside Kuje?”
The pro-Biafra group also noted that whenever attention shifts toward developments favourable to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu or the movement, “another convenient IPOB story emerges: an arrest, a surrender, a raid, a parade of weapons, or a stranger suddenly labelled ‘commander,’ ‘financier’ or ‘operative.’ The script is exhausted” .
IPOB insisted that Ezeakolam “does not speak for IPOB, does not represent IPOB, holds no position known to IPOB and IPOB has not authorised him to act on its behalf.”
The group warned the DSS and the Nigerian Correctional Service that any attempt by any person to falsely present himself as connected to IPOB to penetrate or compromise persons in custody will be exposed .
IPOB also called for independent verification of Ezeakolam’s identity, transparency on the circumstances of his remand, and evidence for any alleged IPOB link.
“Stop dragging IPOB into every DSS operation. Stop manufacturing connections where none exist. Stop using IPOB as the permanent diversionary headline,” the statement added .
