Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services, DSS, says it has arrested a member of the pro-Biafra secessionist group, the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB as he was planning “co-ordinated attacks against religious bodies” and other places.
The DSS issued a statement on Friday, July 1, 2016, delivered to The Trent by email, in which the secret police says that it has arrested one, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, a “known IPOB member”.
IPOB is a secessionist group that adopts non-violent methods to advocate for a free Biafra Republic. The group’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu was arrested by the DSS in October 2015 and is facing trial for alleged treason.
Mr. Kanu maintains his innocence and says that the Buhari government is persecuting him for his political views. Human rights activists have accused the Nigerian military of genocide against members of IPOB who stage non-violent protests, and prayer meetings demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
According to the DSS statement signed by Mr. Tony Opuiyo, Onwudiwe, a graduate of mechanical and chemical engineering was arrested on June 22, 2016.
“Meanwhile, sequel to increasing threat posed to public peace by the activities of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), this Service arrested one Chidiebere Onwudiwe, a graduate of mechanical and chemical Engineering and known member of IPOB, on 22nd June, 2016,” the statement said.
“Onwudiwe and his associates within and outside the country, were planning to carry out coordinated attacks against religious bodies/edifices, police check points and the Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos State, with Improvised Explosive devices (IEDS).
“The suspect was apprehended while making logistics supplies for their nefarious plan,” Opuiyo said.
The DSS had earlier in the year issued a statement accusing IPOB members of killing 5 “Hausa Fulani” men in Abia State and burying them in “shallow graves”. IPOB refuted the claims and accused the DSS and the Buhari government of “trying hard to brand the group as a terrorist organisation”.
The claims were keenly contested by Intersociety, a human rights activists. Igbo leaders called it a sinister plot by the DSS to cause ethnic tensions in the South East.
The Abia State government also refuted the DSS claims saying that the report did not emanate from any security agency in the state.
