Operatives of Ebonyi State Police Command have allegedly arrested the Coordinator of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Ebonyi, Igwe Ogbonnaya on Tuesday.
This was contained in a statement released by the group Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful.
The PRO said Ogbonnaya was arrested at his Ugwulangwu residence in Ohaozara council of the state by security agents, few days after burying his wife.
Imploring the security operatives to stop the indiscriminate arrest of its members, Powerful disclosed that a wife of another member, who just put to bed, was allegedly tortured with her newborn by the security operatives at Oji River, Enugu State two days earlier before the arrest of its Ebonyi coordinator.
“Similarly, the security operatives subjected an innocent woman that recently gave birth to torture on August 16 at her husband house in Oji River council, Enugu State.
“This happened at about 4.30am and anybody suspected to be member or supporter of IPOB was equally beaten up by the Department of State Services and police personnel,” Powerful said.
The group, while calling on international communities to prevail on the arrests, also urged the South East governors to ensure the release of its members.
“IPOB, led by Nnamdi Kanu, hereby demand immediate stoppage of the incessant harassment and arrest of our members.
“We are particularly upset by the recent arrest of IPOB coordinator in Ebonyi State; and the intimidation of an innocent woman in Oji River council of Enugu State by security operatives under the guise of searching for Radio Biafra station.
“This continued illegal abduction and kidnapping of innocent people in our land must stop.
“We call on Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, and his counterparts in the South East and South South to release Biafra agitators arrested in their respective states before its too late.
“We also call on the UK High Commission, Amnesty International, US embassy, UNDP and other countries high commissions and embassies in Nigeria to prevail on the Federal Government and these governors to release our people abducted illegally before it becomes too late,” Powerful said.
