IPOB also alleged that Hausa/Fulani terrorists group who were not on uniforms attacked its members with the army, Navy and police who killed and the carried dead bodies with their hilux vans.
A victim of the clash in Anambra, the IPOB says about 53 pro-Biafra activists were killed.
A statement jointly signed by the media and publicity officer Mr Emma powerful and spokespersons of IPOB Dr Clifford Iroanya and Mr Emma Mmezu condemned the killings of unarmed members at Nkpor near Onitsha and other places.
The group said it had earlier raised alarm before the event that Federal government and security agents have perfected plans to kill and maim the unarmed civilians without provocation.
They noted that the members of IPOB who traveled from far away moved into a Catholic church along Nkpor-Umuoji road to seek the consent of Chukwuokikike Abiama (God Almighty) who has been guiding them in the noble project where the combined security agents moved into the church and killed so many and a lot were wounded.
IPOB said: “The worst side of it was that the members who were coming to honour the Biafra fallen heroes and heroines have not reached to the venue for the ceremony before they met their untimely death.”
“We accused the governor of Anambra state Chief Willie Obiano of the brain behind the attack Monday and for the chief security officer of the state to allowed such to happen in his state and issued a press statement that hoodlums hijacked the day proved that he masterminded the killing of his people.”
“Above all we are non-violent group and we are not doing any protest or demostrations and had not started the event when the security agents opened fire and rained bullets on our people without minding that they are human beings not animals. Again we are calling on all the world leaders to come for our rescue because they have perfected plans to kill all Biafrans” the group stated.
“Onitsha head bridge was blocked by the same military goons, to stop our people from Delta and beyond from linking up with the crowd in Anambra. 16 were gunned down there. All around Onitsha and environs, brutal crackdown ensued all over the town, before noon, many souls were destroyed.”
The group continued: “The conspiracy with political leaders to secretly endorse this mindless bloodletting by keeping quiet, cannot succeed in burying the truth. The truth is like seeds; it germinates when buried and grows into thick indestructible foliage. The blood of our brothers murdered in Onitsha and elsewhere on Monday will only germinate to a thick irrepressible forest of truth, valour and freedom
“Those who are scared that the crumbling edifice of 36 unviable states, created by oppressive military cabals from one section of Nigeria, cannot survive displayed their fears that this house has fallen, to all, by their brutal killing of innocent unarmed youths, whose only crime is the prayer for freedom from this hostile prison. That freedom is inevitable; these senseless deaths are prize for freedom”.
“In 2014 and 2015 our May 30th memorial did not record any causality, simply because Pharaoh has not yet occupied Aso villa.
The occupant of the Villa at that time did not have a compelling mission to sustain the lopsided unitary structure of Nigeria at all costs.
He did not suffer from the paranoid of desert encroachment (As someone confessed at the palace of Emir of kastina recently), therefore, the last occupant of the Villa was not scared of the truth about Nigeria”
“As we go back to drawing board to reconsider the continuation or otherwise of our non-violence credo, we assure those who came to power, only to sustain an unworkable structure, that the blood of our brothers, like the blood of Abel will continue to testify against them. Nothing will keep us in this hostile prison. Nothing. Absolutely Nothing”IPOB spokespersons stated.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian army has explained why the soldiers were forced to kill pro-biafran activists on Monday,May 30.
Sani Usman, army’s spokesman, said in a statement that the military shot protesters over “unwarranted attack, breach of peace and creation of wide spread panic, tension and apprehension”.
The army spokesperson justified the action, adding that the security agents resorted to rules of engagement as a result of the violent attacks from the pro-Biafra supporters.
“Due to the wide spread panic, tension and apprehension that generated from the activities of the MASSOB and IPOB members, security agencies which comprised of detachment of Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, Department of State Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency were compelled to intervene in consonance with constitutional provisions of aid to civil authority where and when such occasion demands,” the army’s statement read in parts.
