The Amnesty International is for the first time portraying in bad light a self-determination group IPOB using violent tactics that have killed hundreds in the southeast.
But the spotlight doesn’t sit well with the secessionist group.
In a statement by the spokesperson of IPOB, Emma Powerful, the group said, “It is baffling that a reputable global organisation like Amnesty International will condescend into making statements without investigations.
“How did Amnesty International arrive at its conclusion that IPOB is responsible for the killings in South East?
“In case Amnesty International has forgotten, let it be reminded that IPOB had suspended its earlier order for Ghost Mondays before hooligans sponsorsed by politicians hijacked the exercise to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens under the guise of enforcing the suspended order just to implicate IPOB and we still stand by that order and decision that Monday sit at home has been suspended.”
IPOB stated further that Amnesty International is not aware that Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra has accused his fellow South East governors of sponsoring the killings in his state.
“How will it be IPOB that is behind the killings and the governor with all the intelligence at his disposal will still be pointing accusing fingers at his fellow governors?
“Why is Amnesty International beginning to drift away from its respected position as fearless rights defender?
The group said the development cannot be unconnected with the pressure by the federal government of Nigeria over its critical stance against the government’s excesses.
“But it’s not enough to jolt the reputable organization into making unsubstantiated utterances.”
Anambra has been witnessing a spate of violenc in which ESN/IPOB members allegedly killed people to ensure no guber election takes place in November.