The leadership of the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), southeast Nigeria, has disputed reported trending video on social media portraying the separatist group as recruiting child soldiers for the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the military wing of IPOB. The group’s leadership stated that the nigerian government, politicians and the Department of Security Service (DSS) are desperate to blackmail the IPOB of committing child abuse before the international community. IPOB declared that the group has thousands of able-bodied Biafrans volunteering to enlist into the ESN, asserting that “there is No Need to conscript children into ESN.”
Accordingly, the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) commanded and led by Mazi Nnamdi KANU, described as “fabricated, laughable, and misleading trending video to implicate IPOB and Eastern Security Network (ESN) operatives.”
IPOB argued that those behind the fake video want to sell false propaganda that ESN is indulging in child abuse by using children to facilitate their security activities.
“We, therefore, wish to debunk the falsehood as a poor propaganda meant specifically to tarnish the image and reputation of the ESN…Biafran youths are fallen over themselves to be part of this elite defence outfit; how then is it possible that ESN will leave able bodied youths ready and willing to be part of it and settle for a child?
“ESN does not, has never and will never use children for whatever reason.”
IPOB leaders emphasized that from inception, ESN has never violated the global rules on child’s right.
“We have no intention at any time to use children for any reason because we will never have any need for it. As a matter of fact, IPOB’s draft Constitution makes it a crime for parents to neglect to enroll their children/wards into school, use them for child labour, such as hawking or subject them to any form of abuse.
“ESN can, therefore, never act contrary to this IPOB’s fundamental guiding principle,” IPOB declared.
IPOB leaders declared: we are not surprised at those desperados who are bent on blackmailing IPOB and ESN at all costs to degenerate into all manner of ridiculous things, thinking that they can discredit IPOB leadership in their plan to destroy ESN.
“We don’t conscript children into ESN because we know that it’s against international law, and we can’t go against the international law.”
IPOB leaders alleged that the Nigeria Government and the DSS are desperate to implicate IPOB and ESN, adding, “that was why they kitted a child to claim he is part of ESN operatives.
“We are drawing the attention of the United Nations, America and the Western world to understand that Nigeria Government has made it their number priority to attempt to destroy IPOB and ESN because we are torn in their flesh. “The International community should disregard this Nigerian government propaganda and hold those behind the wicked blackmail responsible.”
IPOB alleged that “politicians working at the behest of Nigerian security apparatus are behind the fake recruitment of a child and kitting him like ESN operatives just to blackmail IPOB and ESN.
“Nigeria government and her security agencies are committing genocide in Biafra land since the inauguration of ESN and they are desperate in their avowed desire to blackmail IPOB.”