The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has distanced itself from the launch of the Southeast vigilante group by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
According to the group, it was not consulted by the IPOB in the buildup to the launch of the group’s security apparatus.
Ohanaeze made its position known through its youth wing on Tuesday. The statement signed by the group’s media and publicity secretary, Osmond Nkeoma, said the decision of the IPOB to create the outfit was unilateral.
A part of the statement read: “Ohanaeze will not recognise the outfit because they were never consulted by IPOB before floating the ESN. We can’t support what we do not know the motive.
“They said it is a security outfit, but how do we know this is true. They undermined us and went ahead to float their security outfit. We can never be part of it.”
Recall that IPOB had, during the launch, likened the outfit to Amotekun, the security apparatus in the southwest. It said the outfit would ensure an end to crimes in the Southeast, and warned herders and perpetrators of all forms of crimes to steer clear of the Southeast region, or be ready to face the full weight of the group.
IPOB also claimed that the group would work in synergy with the Nigeria Police and other legitimate security agencies as proof that it was law-abiding. It also said it would soon release phone numbers for people to report criminal activities through them for prompt action.
