The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has demanded evidence of the arrest of a soldier who killed a commercial motorcycle rider from Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state.
The slain cyclist, Chimaobi Nworgu was allegedly shot dead following his refusal to offer N100 bribe to a military officer at a checkpoint.
The group in a statement issued on Friday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said no arrest was made as claimed by the governor.
It said the death of Chimaobi represented a watershed, insisting that no amount of photo-opportunity or public relations would diminish the fact.
The statement partly read, “It is unbelievable that Okezie Ikpeazu and the Police Commissioner in Abia State announced the arrest of the killer soldiers involved in the death of Chimaobi Nworgu.
“Nobody has ever seen any picture or video of the murderers as is customary with Nigerian Police anytime they arrest suspects in high profile cases.
“No news conference where their full names, ranks and division they are serving in the army were made public. The pattern of covering up for the worst excesses of Fulani terror soldiers continues in Igboland.
“Biafrans must know there is no iota of truth in the widely circulated lie that those soldiers responsible for the death of Chimaobi are under custody.
“What we are demanding is very simple, pictorial or video evidence that those that shot and killed Chimaobi are in custody.
“Their names must be made public and a commitment extracted from the army to vacate every checkpoint in Biafraland.
“The hurried and clearly orchestrated announcement by Okezie Ikpeazu and his commissioner of police in Abia State is nothing more than just that, a mere announcement. It means nothing and solves nothing.
“We reiterate our demand that those responsible must be arrested and prosecuted or else Okezie Ikpeazu is merely embarking on an exercise in futility.”
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