The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has accused security agencies of employing the services of civilians to collect bribes from motorists and other passengers at checkpoints.
IPOB's Media and Publicity Secretary, ,Comrade Emma Powerful spoke in a statement titled, "IPOB Condemns The Use Of Civilians As Toll Collectors At Checkpoints, Calls For Removal Of Illegal Checkpoints In Biafra Land."
The statement read, "The global family and movement of the IPOB, condemn the use of civilians and some vigilante members by the Nigerian Military and Police at various check points for toll collection. We are warning Biafran civilians and vigilante members to stay off the illegal checkpoints mounted by the murderous security forces in Biafra Land.
"IPOB has called for the removal of indiscriminate military and police checkpoints mounted to harass and extort money from Biafrans. The uncountable checkpoints in Biafra land are not only used for extortion of money at gunpoints but are also used for kidnapping, organ harvesting, and forceful disappearance of many Igbo youths.
"The new style of using vigilante security groups and civilians in Biafra land by the Nigeria security forces 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 Biafraland 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 Fulani government of Nigeria.
"For any Igbo son or daughter to allow himself or herself to be used as a tool of suppression and extortion against his or her own people by the Nigeria security forces means that the person in question is a _compound fool.
"IPOB is against indiscriminate checkpoints, forceful extortion, and humiliation going on at these illegal checkpoints. Indiscriminate checkpoints across Biafra Land is an economic and security siege against Ndigbo. It's a calculated policy to dehumanize, intimidate, kill, and destroy lives and properties in Alaigbo.
"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 amok need more security checkpoints than the peaceful Southeast. The insecurity in the Southeast is sponsored by the federal government of Nigeria just to blackmail Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB, and ESN.
"Once again, IPOB is calling on the Nigeria government and her security agencies to dismantle indiscriminate checkpoints in all parts of Biafra land.
"We are wondering why the Nigeria 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 check points?
"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. Divide and rule, and conquer tactics, which is dead on arrival! 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 own people?
"Once again, we are warning any civilian or vigilante to stay away from aiding forceful extortion of our people in any illegal checkpoints 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 to this call but continue with this illegal extortion and humiliation of our people at those illegal checkpoints should understand that their days are numbered.
"Any Biafran civilian and vigilante member who values his life should stop aiding and abating the extortion, humiliation, and forceful disappearances of Igbo youths going on at the military and Police checkpoints in Biafra land. Ignore this warning at your own peril. Let him who has ears hear what the spirit is saying."
