Ipob warns Asari saying he will be held responsible of any of its members loses his life in the Niger Delta

SECESSONIST group the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) has warned the president of Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Force (NDPSF) Alhaji Asari Dokubo to watch his utterances against their leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Last week, Alhaji Dokubo has lashed out at Mr Kanu saying the constant sit-at-home protests he calls across the southeast geo-political zone are impoverishing Ndigbo. Due to a combination of sympathy, fear and rigid enforcement, these protests have been very successful and Alhaji Dokubo has added his voice to those asking that they be called off.

Responding to this criticism, Ipob spokesman Emma Powerful, said his association never declared war on Alhaji Dokubo, so he should mind his utterances against Mazi Kanu. In addition, Mr Powerful warned that Ipob would hold Alhaji Dokubo responsible if any Ipob member dies in the coastal or hinterland areas of the Niger Delta.

Mr Powerful said:  “We the global movement and family of Ipob under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to put the whole world on notice particularly the Izon people, of the unguarded and nonsense statements coming out from Asari Dokubo because when it will start nobody should blame us. Asari Dokubo numerated how he sabotaged and planned how our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was abducted and extraordinarily renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria.

“Asari Dokubo should know that he is not an Igbo man and should stop portraying himself so. Igbos believe in equity and justice and don’t need a traitor like Asari Dokubo, who should equally remember that Ipob never declared war against him since he started his nonsense statements against Nnamdi Kanu.

"We don’t want to be distracted or join issues with you but we want to make it categorically clear to you that if any Ipob member both in the hinterland and coastal region of Biafra dies as a result of your threat you will understand what Ipob is capable of doing. Again, we want you to withdraw your empty threats and stop exposing your historical shortcomings and ignorance by dabbling into a century that you have completely no idea about. You are not an Igbo and have no link with the Igbo people.

“Igbos don’t need Asari to live their lives and he should know that he doesn’t and can never love Igbo people more than Nnamdi Kanu and the Ipob movement. Asari Dokubo should know that his sabotage of the Biafran struggle will not stop us from getting Biafran freedom.

"Your grouse with Nnamdi Kanu was because you were more interested in becoming the president of Biafra and he told you to wait first until Biafra comes. You turned against him and Biafra freedom because you hate the truth.

"Asari thinks that his criminal gangs sponsored by Aso Rock and some politicians in the region will kill Ipob members and blame it on Igbo people. We know who he is and he will soon regret his actions against a just cause.”

Recently, Alhaji Dokubo asked the government not to release Mr Kanu, claiming he instigates violence and killings across the southeast. Alhaji Dokubo also claimed that the Ipob sit-ay-homes are a negation of the Igbo entrepreneurial spirit.