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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has dismissed claims by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu that over 30,000 people have died due to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s activism in Nigeria’s South-East, calling the statement “false” and “irresponsible.”
Senator Kalu, representing Abia North, said on Sunday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today that secessionist agitations linked to the convicted IPOB leader had caused extensive fatalities and economic losses in the region.
He stated, “Do you know that over 30,000 Igbos were killed? People who have shops have lost their businesses. I used to sell my own manufactured products in Aba. I know what the numbers were.”
IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful rejected the figure in a press statement on Tuesday, demanding evidence to substantiate the senator’s claims.
He said, “The worldwide family and movement of the IPOB denounces the irresponsible and false claims from Senator Orji Uzor that 30,000 individuals lost their lives due to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s activism in the South-East region. This declaration arises from a malevolent spirit and a person who has chosen to barter his kin for selfish political gain.”
Powerful added that IPOB and its leader had remained non-violent despite military operations targeting their members.
He claimed, “The insecurity, fatalities, and devastation that occurred in the South-East were orchestrated by the Federal Government and certain South-Eastern politicians to blackmail IPOB and ESN. The evidence shows that IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu have consistently been targets of military aggression, violence, and killings backed by the state.”
The group also called for impartial investigations into violence in the South-East since 2015, asserting that the Federal Government has yet to allow an independent inquiry.
“IPOB urges Orji Uzor Kalu to present proof of his assertions. As far as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB are concerned, we bear no responsibility for the death of any Igbo individual or the damage to businesses in the East,” the statement read.
Senator Kalu’s comments followed Kanu’s conviction on terrorism-related charges.
The former Abia governor emphasised the need for political solutions rather than continued public agitation, urging a holistic approach to resolving the crisis in the region.
He said, “Just as the theory Bianca Ojukwu and Mascot Kalu propounded, they should stop the noise and focus on the settlement with the Federal Government. I have been working with the Federal Government on how to solve this issue.”
