The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) have distanced themselves from attacks on INEC offices, stating that their sole option is to urge people to boycott elections.
The Nigerian Police Force is being accused of blackmailing IPOB members for recent attacks on INEC offices, according to IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful.
The Imo State Police Command had connected ESN members to the attack on the INEC office in the state’s Orlu West Local Government Area.
The INEC office was attacked by ESN militants using IEDs, according to the Command’s spokesperson, Mike Abattam.
Powerful asserted that ESN is not a violent group, nevertheless.
His statement reads: “We have never supported nor involved ourselves in any election obstruction or violence as a movement. The only action we can take is to call our people to boycott voting if the need arises. But as of today, IPOB is not interested in Nigeria and its electoral activities and has never asked anyone to carry out any attack on our behalf.
“For the Nigeria Government and her compromised police to link IPOB and ESN to their sponsored attacks on INEC offices has shown that they are working day and night to blackmail IPOB’s self-determination movement.
“ESN operatives never attacked INEC office because we are not interested in this Nigeria’s forthcoming election in 2023.”
