Ipob warns that any of its members who gets involved in pipeline protection will be expelled

SECESSIONIST group the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) has warned its members and those of its security arm the Eastern Security Network (ESN) to refrain from participating in the federal government's ongoing pipeline protection programme.

In August this year, Emancipation of Niger Delta (Mend) leader Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo, was awarded a contract by the federal government to protect oil pipelines in the Niger Delta. Up until then, Tompolo was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as he was due to face charges relating to contracts he was awarded by the government of former president Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

After the Buhari administration declared him a wanted man, Tompolo subsequently went into hiding to avoid arrest from the government. However, in a bid to combat escalating oil theft in the Niger Delta, the federal government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) agreed to engage Tompolo to end illegal bunkering, illegal refining and oil theft in the area.

Over recent months, oil theft has become such a serious problem that Nigeria's crude output has fallen from its historic level of 2.5m barrels a day to below 1m barrels. Other militant leaders in the Niger Delta have complained about being excluded from the oil pipeline protection contracts and now,  Ipob has urged its members not to participate in the programme either.

Ipob spokesman Emma Powerful, said: “This public statement goes to every Ipob family member, friends of Biafra freedom and lovers of Biafran freedom across the world. Take cognisance that no Ipob member is allowed to get him/herself entangled or involved in the deceptive and dehumanising issue of pipeline security being dangled by the oppressor before our people presently in our land.

“It has become imperative to make the position of Ipob leadership very clear on this matter and to at the same time sound a note of warning to all family members as well as ESN operatives that guarding the crude oil pipeline, which the Nigerian government uses to steal our natural resources for Nigeria our oppressor is not and will never be part of Ipob’s core aims and objectives. Every Ipob member and ESN operative must advise him/herself properly because any such involvement in this shameful and debilitating act amounts to automatic expulsion from the Ipob worldwide family.

“If you are a true hardcore and dedicated follower of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Ipob worldwide family, do not allow yourself to be associated or entangled with the Nigerian government trap in the form of pipeline security guard. Ipob is a freedom fighting movement and we have no business working as security  guards to our oppressors so that they may continue to suck our natural resources dry to the detriment of our children and generations yet unborn.

“Those gifts from Chukwu Okike Abiama, the almighty creator, belongs to us and we will take over and make it beneficial to our people in due time. Those who deemed it necessary to guard the infrastructure the oppressors use to steal from their land and use the proceeds to develop their land to the detriment of the land and people where the resources are found are at liberty to continue in their folly but must leave Ipob out of it.

“We are Indigenous People of Biafra and the natural resources found in our land belongs to us, our children and our unborn generations. Every Ipob member or ESN operative should distance him/herself from the ongoing pipeline security recruitment process.”