The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has debunked report of plans to carry out attacks on journalists in Nigeria, saying Journalists are their dependable allies, and will never attack them.
IPOB made this known in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful.
The statement entitled, “Journalist, our dependable allies, no plans to attack them” said that IPOB has nothing against the Nigerian Union of Journalist, NUJ and will support and defend NUJ and the practitioners because they have been on the side of truth regarding the atrocities of Fulani herdsmen, bandits and terrorists in Nigeria.
IPOB while reacting to the allegation against it on South East NUJ, and Enugu based journalist, said that it can never resort to attacking NUJ, and journalists in South East or anywhere in Nigeria because journalists are not their problem, rather partners in progress.
IPOB’s statement read in part, “The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the fallacious statement credited to one Petrus Obi, against IPOB concerning NUJ in the South East.
“We want to make it clear that IPOB has nothing against NUJ and will support and defend NUJ and journalists because they have been on the side of truth regarding the atrocities of Fulani herdsmen, bandits and terrorists in Nigeria.
“IPOB can never resort to attacking NUJ in South-East because journalists are not our problem, rather they are partners in progress. IPOB remains the most peaceful freedom movement in the world today but detractors and enemies are trying to portray IPOB in a bad light to demonize our hard built images across the world.
“We reiterate that IPOB is a friend of NUJ, their practitioners and will never take any action injurious to their interest. Importantly, IPOB is peace-loving and committed to Biafra restoration, nothing more nothing less.
“The fabricated and fallacious statement from Petrus Obi against IPOB should be ignored and disregarded. We are aware that he is sponsored by the wicked Nigerian Government and enemies of Biafra, who are not happy with the reportage of pro-Biafra groups by journalists.”
“Petrus Obi has been at loggerheads with his people in the village as well as NUJ. He now wants to get cheap popularity by attacking IPOB, but we will not dignify him with a response.
“We, therefore, caution him to retrace his steps and stop dragging IPOB into his NUJ politics. He is too little to contend with IPOB”