Onitsha IPOB massacre: Governor Obiano is guilty as charged , says IPOB

www.odogwublog.com reports that as the controversy over the November 18 Anambra Governorship election rages, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra ( IPOB), has denied that its leader, Nnamdi Kanu had absolved Gov. Willie Obiano of blames in the May 30 , 2016 massacre of Biafra agitators at Onitsha.

IPOB in a statement issued yesterday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, described as false the alleged media reports that Kanu had during his recent visit to Eze Nri, HRM Eze Chukwu Emeka of Agulu Eri, exonerated Obiano of blames in the massacre.

The statement read in part: We disassociate our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the purported and concocted rumours going round the city that during his visit to Eze Eri Eze Chukwu Emeka of Agulu Eri, he exonerated Chief Willie Obiano from the massacre of IPOB members and Biafrans at Nkpor on the 29th and 30th of May 2016 during the remembrance day celebration."

The statement said that instead of exonerating Obiano, Kanu rather indicted him for his inaction and failure to protect the hapless and innocent Biafran agitators he was elected to protect.

IPOB argued that while it did not say Obiano ordered the brutal execution of the innocent victims of the genocide, he failed in his duty as the Chief Executive Officer of the state to protect their lives.

"We want to make it categorically clear that IPOB leader did not exonerate Obiano but instead indicted him for not halting the massacre as the chief security officer of the state and also for reporting to the kangaroo Army Board of Enquiry that nobody was killed at Nkpor and Onitsha Bridge Head  when there are innumerable eye witness accounts backed up by video and pictorial evidence.

"The evidence was presented to the well recognized international human rights organizations in the world including  Amnesty International, Human Right Watch etc.
"IPOB is holding Governor Obiano responsible because about 60 of those butchered and buried in mass graves by Hausa Fulani dominated Islamic Army of Northern Nigeria, voted for him during his last election, IPOB campaigned door to door for his election in 2014.

"To put the record straight, we are aware that Governor Obiano did not kill anybody by himself or fired anybody with bullets but as the number one citizen and chief security officer of the state he is culpable for rising up on time to stop the massacre of those that campaigned vigorously for him in 2014 rather he came up through his information commissioner condemned and tagged the innocent civilians who gathered to celebrate their fallen heroes and heroines during the war of genocide against the people of Biafra in 1967 and 1970 as miscreants and hoodlums who came to destroy the state, is on record.

IPOB, therefore, gave conditions for reconciliation with Obiano, insisting that he must set up a judicial panel of  inquiry to investigate the massacre and bring the culprits to book.

"Obiano must come out openly and tell the public what actually happened on that particular day in Anambra State.

"Our request from Willie Obiano remains that he must constitute an independent panel with powers to subpoena witnesses and documents to thoroughly investigate what happened in public.

"Only the result of the findings of the panel of inquiry will exonerate or clear Obiano's name. As long as the status quo remains, we will continue to hold Obiano responsible for the death of IPOB family members in Anambra State."

IPOB insisted on its earlier decision to boycott the Anambra election contrary to insinuations in some quarters that it had relaxed the position.

"The gruesome massacre of IPOB members at Nkpor, Awka and Head Bridge Onitsha all in Anambra State under the watch of Obiano is one of the reasons why there will be no election in Anambra State come 18 November 2017."