IPOB denies plot to kidnap WASSCE candidates in South-East

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has dismissed allegations that its security arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), planned to kidnap WASSCE candidates in South-East Nigeria.

The group also condemned what it described as a fresh attempt by the Department of State Services (DSS) and some media organisations, including Punch Newspaper, to spread false claims about a purportedly foiled ESN plot targeting students sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the region.

In a statement issued on Thursday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB described the allegations against ESN and claims involving WASSCE candidates in South-East communities as a fabricated narrative designed to tarnish the image of the group.

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According to him, the parading of suspects allegedly linked to the plot, including one reportedly dressed in sleeping attire, alongside displayed weapons, was nothing more than a staged drama.

“IPOB has consistently maintained that it does not target innocent civilians, schoolchildren, or WASSCE candidates. Our struggle is a legitimate and peaceful quest for self-determination and freedom from oppression, marginalisation, and systemic injustice—not the harassment of our own people,” he said.

Powerful insisted that the Eastern Security Network remains committed to protecting communities in the South-East from criminal elements and attacks by armed herdsmen.

He further alleged that the claims were intended to divert public attention from the ongoing legal proceedings involving IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

According to him, the Nigerian government and security agencies have repeatedly resorted to propaganda whenever there are significant developments in Kanu’s case.

“The latest allegation involving WASSCE candidates in South-East states is another desperate attempt to mislead the public and distract attention from issues surrounding Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal,” he stated.

IPOB also recalled what it described as previous efforts to intimidate its leader, claiming that Kanu had survived multiple assassination attempts in the past.

The group maintained that the allegations against ESN were deliberately timed to coincide with positive developments in Kanu’s legal battle and were aimed at deceiving the public.

Reaffirming its position, IPOB said its mission remains focused on self-determination and the protection of communities, stressing that it has no reason to target students or disrupt educational activities in the South-East.

“The Eastern Security Network remains resolute and unwavering in defending our ancestral land from marauding Fulani killer-herdsmen and other existential threats,” the statement added.

The group urged the DSS and the Nigerian government to concentrate on addressing the activities of armed bandits and other criminal groups across the country instead of engaging in what it described as propaganda against ESN.

IPOB further accused security agencies of using arrests, planted evidence, and ethnic profiling as tactics to weaken the Biafra restoration movement and justify the continued detention of its leader.

The organisation called on the international community, human rights organisations, and other stakeholders to reject what it termed misinformation and focus on legal issues raised in Kanu’s appeal.

“The Biafran spirit is unbreakable. Every fabrication strengthens our resolve, and every distraction accelerates our victory,” the statement concluded.