IPOB Protest Herdsmen Killings, Rape In South-East

The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Monday staged a peaceful protest in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi state against some policies of the federal government, including the much talked about Ruga settlement in the southeast for Fulani herdsmen, saying it was part of the presidency’s ploy to continue what they referred to as its Islamic agenda.

They also bemoaned the incessant and unwarranted killing and raping of Igbo women across the states in the southeast, saying they could no longer tolerate the menace.

The protesters, in their hundreds, were led by leaders of the religious arm of Biafra known as the Supreme Clergy Council of Biafra (SCCOB), in defiance of security presence, moved from the popular Mechanic Village with various Biafra insignia.

They further took their protest to Ogoja Road from where they moved on to Gunning road, Abacha roundabout, New Market Road and other streets terminating at the Mechanic Village.

Armed policemen and other security agents mounted surveillance at various strategic junctions with their operational vehicles across the state possibly to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

“We are members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the clergy department called Supreme Clergy Council of Biafra (SCCOB). We are the religious arm of Biafra restoration. Today, we the clergy and other departments in IPOB came out to express our dissatisfaction on the happenings in Nigeriaincluding their evil plan to establish Ruga in Igboland. We are not in support of this their evil agenda, are totally against Islamization of Igboland. We are Biafrans, not Fulani.

“Security agencies tried to stop us but we resisted them and protested successfully against Ruga because we are preachers, we should stand out to speak the truth. We are called for freedom and we are not after anybody’s sorry or tears, we are deliverers. Security agents shot at us and I sustained a facial injury which I thank God is not serious.

“This Ruga is a Fulani term; it is a secret plan to occupy indigenous land of our people and that is why we say ‘no’. If you want to come to a particular city to do a business, you have to liaise with the people and not to secretly rob them. No matter what they call this their evil plan, we reject every Islamic agenda.

“God is looking for a man to stand the gap that the land might be free and that is what we have chosen to do. So, we are saying enough of Fulani Islamic agenda, enough of raping of our women, enough of killing innocent people without a reason, kidnapping”.