The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied responsibility for the attack on the Owerri Correctional Center in Imo State on April 5, 2021, as claimed by the Nigerian Army.
In a statement released on Friday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB called the accusation by the Army authorities “dubious” and a form of “media blackmail.”
Powerful stated, “IPOB is not responsible for the Owerri jailbreak.
“The security agencies, especially the army, masterminded the attack to free criminals who have been used to create insecurity in the land of Biafra, particularly in Imo State, just to blackmail IPOB.”
IPOB instead alleged that the attack was orchestrated by the Nigerian security forces themselves.
The organization pointed out the close proximity of the correctional center to various security agencies, such as the Nigerian Police Command headquarters, the State CID, six police stations, the Government House, DSS office, Naval Command, and Military base at Obinze.
The separatist group raised concerns about why the nearby security forces did not intervene during the attack, which lasted almost four hours without any resistance or casualties.
“Where were all the surrounding security forces within Owerri when the attack was going on and numerous gunshots were heard?” Comrade Powerful asked.
“Who then ordered these security forces not to respond to the distressed calls during the attack, which lasted nearly four hours? What kind of jailbreak can last four hours without confrontation from any of the avalanche of Security Forces in and around Owerri Municipal if not coordinated by the Government itself?”
IPOB stated that the Nigerian government has not conducted an investigation into the attack for more than three years. It also accused the government of including the 2021 Owerri jailbreak as part of their tactics to discredit IPOB in 2024.
He said, “The Nigerian Army should respect their institution and focus on confronting the insurmountable insecurity challenges in Nigeria instead of being a tool for government propaganda.”
