The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied involvement in the reported abduction of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Imo State, accusing Governor Hope Uzodimma of manipulating the security situation for political reasons.
The group, led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, made the allegations in a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, over the weekend.
It condemned attempts to associate the Biafra self-determination movement with the incident and questioned the circumstances surrounding the reported abduction and subsequent rescue of the corps members.
IPOB described the allegations against its members as an attempt to damage the movement’s reputation and portray it as a threat to innocent citizens.
“Any attempt to link Biafra agitators to the kidnapping of innocent youth corps members is a calculated falsehood meant to demonise our movement.”
Powerful argued that the recurrence of such incidents in Imo State required closer scrutiny.
He questioned why the state continued to feature prominently in reports of insecurity across the South-East and South-South, while accusing the state government of exploiting security concerns for political advantage.
The group alleged that Uzodimma was using the situation to strengthen his political standing and present himself to the Federal Government as a key figure in addressing insecurity in the region.
However, IPOB did not provide independently verifiable evidence in the statement to substantiate its allegations against the governor.
According to the group, Uzodimma’s alleged political calculations were influenced by tensions involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his reported efforts to secure greater political relevance within the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
IPOB said, “Facing heavy political friction from Minister Nyesom Wike and seeking to ingratiate himself with President Bola Tinubu, Uzodimma is desperate to frame himself as an indispensable security champion in the region.”
Powerful further alleged that the governor was interested in positioning himself for the Senate presidency, claiming that the pursuit of such ambitions could have consequences for peace and security in the South-East.
He said, “To achieve this ambition, along with other Igbo politicians who fear that the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will render them politically obsolete, he is willing to sacrifice the peace and safety of the region.”
The allegations form part of IPOB’s wider criticism of political leaders in the South-East over the handling of insecurity and the continued detention of Kanu.
The group has repeatedly argued that the Biafra question should be addressed through a process that allows the people to determine their political future.
The statement also raised concerns about the deployment of security personnel across Imo State. IPOB alleged that military personnel had abandoned important checkpoints, leaving vulnerable areas exposed to attacks. It claimed that armed groups had taken advantage of the alleged gaps to carry out kidnappings, attacks and extortion.
The group further alleged that some of the criminal activities were being deliberately linked to its members to create the impression that the Biafra movement was responsible for insecurity in the region.
It did not, however, present publicly verifiable evidence to establish the alleged connection between the security lapses, the government and the criminal groups it described.
IPOB also rejected any suggestion that its activities were responsible for attacks on students, civilians and prospective corps members.
Powerful maintained that the group’s stated objective was self-determination through a referendum and insisted that innocent citizens should not be targeted in the name of the Biafra struggle.
He said, “Criminal elements and state-sponsored agents who previously hijacked Monday sit-at-homes are now using the cover of ‘IPOB said they will boycott’ to unleash criminality and frame our peaceful movement.”
The statement also addressed IPOB’s position on future elections in the region.
The group reiterated its intention to boycott elections but said details of how the proposed boycott would be conducted peacefully would be announced closer to the time.
IPOB argued that criminal elements should not be allowed to exploit the group’s political position to intimidate residents or disrupt public activities.
It urged residents of the South-East to distinguish between its stated objectives and the actions of individuals accused of committing crimes.
The group also called for an immediate, transparent and independent international investigation into the abduction of the prospective corps members along the Onitsha–Owerri road.
It specifically demanded an examination of the circumstances surrounding the attack, the subsequent rescue operation and the alleged financial transactions connected to ransom payments.
The demand comes after the abduction of 20 prospective NYSC members and another passenger on October 1, while they were travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
The victims were travelling in two buses when gunmen reportedly intercepted them around Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
Security agencies subsequently launched a search-and-rescue operation.
On October 3, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, disclosed that operatives had traced the suspected kidnappers to a forest hideout using drone surveillance.
He said the operation was complicated by intelligence that the location had been planted with improvised explosive devices.
Politics Nigeria later reported that all 20 prospective corps members and the additional victim were eventually released on October 7 following a coordinated operation involving security agencies.
The victims were taken to the Department of State Services hospital in Owerri for medical attention and assessment.
Governor Uzodimma subsequently commended the security agencies and the collaboration between the Imo and Oyo state governments.
He explained that the government had adopted a discreet approach during the operation to avoid disclosing information that could jeopardise the safe return of the victims.
The question of whether ransom was paid also emerged after the victims regained their freedom.
However, the Imo State Commissioner of Police said he was not aware that any ransom had been paid, maintaining that the abductors had come under pressure from security agencies operating in the area.
The circumstances surrounding the release and the identity of those responsible remain separate from IPOB’s allegations against the state government.
IPOB’s claim that the rescue was staged has not been independently established.
Its allegations against Uzodimma, including the claims about political manoeuvring, the Senate presidency and the alleged involvement of state-sponsored armed groups, also remain unverified.
The group nevertheless maintained that the incident should not be used to justify accusations against the Biafra movement without credible evidence.
It urged residents, civil society organisations and the international community to demand answers from the relevant authorities.
The police have said efforts are continuing to identify and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
The outcome of those investigations will be important in establishing the circumstances of the attack and determining whether any individuals or groups beyond the suspected kidnappers were involved.
