Is IPOB a terrorist organization like the Nigerian Government accuses them of being? Conclusions are to be made with facts that are already sketchy, thereby putting the international community and other observers into confusion.
Some days ago, Dr. Chike Akunyili, husband to late former Information Minister, Prof. Dora Akunyili, was reportedly murdered by gunmen. Reports had it that he was killed at Umuoji in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State, on Tuesday evening.
According to popular news agencies, a source close to the family said these words to say at intervals:
“God, pls render the devil and his agents powerless and useless.”
“I was with this man yesterday same yesterday at Sharon Hall, All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha. It was an occasion of University of Nigeria Nsukka Alumni Association (UNAA), Onitsha branch event where they honoured late Dora Akunyili.”
“He spoke glowingly about Dora and made a donation of 500k to the association. He was there with his son, Obum now working with the Anambra state government.”
“We saw them off to the car and it was emotional when Obum hugged him tight as both of them separated to join their respective vehicles.”
“Obum was in a white Hilux while the man was in a big Jeep (I think Prado). God have mercy!”
There was also a post from the deceased’s brother who accused IPOB of being responsible for Dr. Chike’s death.
While this was throwing the general public into a state of confusion, it was obvious that people already believed that IPOB could do such.
IPOB made a public statement of not having any issues with the man, and didn’t see the need for his death – and immediately debunked the claims.
However; it was later noticed that the accuser deleted the post, according to sources on Facebook.
“Maybe he was threatened,” someone said on Facebook.
“No, politicians killed that man. IPOB didn’t do anything,” another person said on Facebook.
Then suspicion shifted to the direction of Nigeria’s DSS
The killing of Dr. Chike sparked several debates about which IPOB should be worried about. The fact that there was such thought to pin it on them shows there’s something they’re not doing well. But then again, the Nigerian government wouldn’t hesitate to blackmail IPOB in a twinkle of an eye for every killings in the Eastern part of Nigeria.
IPOB is obviously not a terrorist organization if we are to go by its aims and objectives. But they’ll have to apply tact in most of their dealings if they want the Igbos who are afraid of them to flow with the cause of the organization. There’s a recent circulation of an old video that shows Nnamdi Kalu airing live from Radio Biafra, and his words had some questionable undertone:
“By any means possible, even if we have to use violence.”
If some of the people you’re fighting for are beginning to doubt the state of your mentality in the “Biafran Agenda,” then there’s a problem somewhere.
IPOB has threatened to deal with some Igbo elites in the past, and people are confused as to what is going on. Maybe the enemy – the Nigerian Government – is capitalizing on their lack of tact to make them lose supporters.
If IPOB is so arrogant enough not to address their tact, then the actualization of Biafra through them, could become a fatal failure.
It’s not enough to dissociate themselves from certain weird occurrences in Igbo land – they also have to act with intelligence and stop threatening people anyhow.
If they don’t, the International Community could as well say the Government was right in branding them a “terrorist organization,” and that will be very bad.
Written by: Edward Amah
