The security services have been urged to remove any illegal roadblocks erected on South East routes by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). In a statement, the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, claimed that the checkpoints in the South East had evolved into places where people might be harassed and used as extortion targets.
Powerful also disapproved of certain individuals’ cooperation, such as vigilantes whom the security guards exploited as “toll boys.”
The statement read: “IPOB has called for the removal of indiscriminate military and police checkpoints mounted to harass and extort money from Biafrans.
“The new style of using vigilante security groups and civilians in Biafraland by the security agents at these illegal checkpoints to extort money from Biafrans is not acceptable.
“Therefore, IPOB is using this medium to warn Biafra civilians and vigilante members being used for extortion at these illegal checkpoints in Biafra land to stay off and stop immediately.
“They should know that if it were to be a good job opportunity or official recruitment into the Nigeria security forces, they would not be considered worthy by the government.
“For any Igbo son or daughter to allow him or herself to be used as a tool of suppression and extortion against his and her people by the security agents means that the person in question is a compound fool.
“IPOB is against indiscriminate checkpoints, extortion, and humiliation going on at these illegal checkpoints. Indiscriminate checkpoints across Biafra land are an economic and security siege against Ndigbo.
“Any Igbo son or daughter that is encouraging this security and economic strangulation using numerous checkpoints is devilish and wicked. The Northern region where bandits and terrorists are running amock needs more security checkpoints than the peaceful South East.
“We wonder why the Nigerian military and police hide their personnel at their illegal checkpoints and in their place, position some gullible Igbo boys to be collecting money for them as toll boys at the checkpoints.
“The ugly act of using our people to be extorting our people for them at these illegal checkpoints is a setup and an act of slavery. It shows that the main objective of the indiscriminate checkpoints is to extort and humiliate Ndigbo. Why must some gullible people allow themselves to be used against their people?
“Once again, we are warning any civilian or vigilante to stay away from aiding forceful extortion of our people in any illegal checkpoint in Biafra land. If you become a willing tool in the hands of the enemies in subjugating our people, we shall consider you as an enemy.
“Those who refuse to heed this call but continue with this illegal extortion and humiliation of our people at those illegal checkpoints should understand that their days are numbered.”
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