PRESS RELEASE, 26/04/2024. IPOB NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR 2021 OWERRI JAILBREAK; NIGERIA GOVERNMENT AND IT’S SECURITY AGENCIES ARE RESPONSIBLE The attention of the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu has been drawn to dubiosity of the Nigerian Army accusing IPOB of being responsible for attack at the Owerri Correctional Center in Imo State on April 5, 2021. To put the record straight, the attack at Owerri Correctional Center was masterminded by the Nigerian security. Recently, the Nigeria Army at Obinze, Owerri accused IPOB members of being responsible for the attack at Owerri prisons that freed the 1827 inmates of the facility. Owerri Correctional Center is situated in close proximity to many Nigeria Security Agencies. For example, the Nigeria Police command headquarters the State’s CID ,over 6 Police Stations, the Government House DSS office, Naval Command, Military base at Obinze are all in close proximity to the Correctional facility in question. From eye witness accounts including Imo State Police’s report, the attack on Owerri Correctional Center lasted for almost 4 hours without resistance or casualty. The question is where were all the surrounding Security Forces within Owerri when the attack was going on and numerous gunshots were heard? Who then ordered these Security Forces NOT to respond to the distressed calls during the attack which lasted nearly four(4) hours? What kind of jailbreak can last for four (4) hours without confrontation from any of the avalanche of Security Forces in and around Owerri municipal if not coordinated by the Government itself? Nigeria Army is just disgracing their military institution and displaying unprofessionalism by engaging in media blackmail and propaganda. Why did the Nigeria Army wait for 3 years to start yapping rubbish about the attack at Owerri Correctional Center? The State sponsored attack at the Owerri Correctional Center was organized by the Nigeria Government with her Security Agencies, especially the army to free criminals that they have been using in creating insecurity in the land of Biafra, particularly in Imo State just to blackmail IPOB. For over three (3) years the Nigerian Government refused to open an investigation on that attack. Thinking that Nigerians may have forgotten it, but, boom! they added the 2021 Owerri jailbreak to the list of their blackmailing strategies against IPOB in 2024. IPOB IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OWERRI JAILBREAK. PERIOD! It was the Nigeria Government and her Security Agencies that masterminded the jailbreak in Owerri Correctional Center on April 5, 2021 and also at Kuje, Abuja jailbreak on July 5, 2022 to free criminals to be used for blackmailing IPOB and to release ISWAP terrorists in prison respectively. When IPOB members are illegally abducted (as always), and our lawyers go to their courts in Nigeria to defend and free them, that is when Nigeria presents this nonsensical allegation of jailbreak against them as the charge against them. This is ridiculous! IPOB members don’t carry out jailbreak to free our members. IPOB are responsible and law abiding, Self-Determination movement. Since 2021 that the attack on Owerri Correctional Center took place, the Nigeria Government and Imo State Government has NOT conducted a public investigation into the attack because they were accomplices. Suddenly after three years, the Nigeria Army at Obinze, Owerri has published the pictures of the purported 27 criminals they claimed were IPOB members that carried out the attacks. We dare them to also publish their names, their units, and names of their coordinators. The question is, if the Nigerian Army did not respond to the distressed calls during the attack on the facility and there hasn’t been a published arrest of the assailants for three years, how did the Nigeria Army get the photos of the so-called IPOB members they now claim carried out the attack? Why hasn’t the Nigeria Government and the Owerri Correctional Center published the names and pictures of the purported 1,827 inmates that escaped during that attack? The Government knows why they are hiding the identities of the criminals that escaped and the men they sent to free them. The attackers at the Owerri Correctional Center were selected servicemen from the Nigeria Army, Police, DSS and Prison Guard. All the Security Agency’s Commanders in Owerri were briefed before the attack. That was why the attack went on for nearly 4 hours without resistance or casualty irrespective of the many security formations in Owerri. The Nigerian Government can’t continue to deceive people witt analytical minds especially Biafrans. The Nigeria Army should respect their institution. They should focus on confronting the unsurmountable insecurity challenges in Nigeria instead of being a tool for government propaganda. IPOB is already an institution and ESN is a State actor on behalf of Biafra Nation. Anyone or group regarding IPOB and ESN as non-State actors are mistaken. No amount of blackmail will deter our resolve for the Biafra self-determination project and full independence from Nigeria. COMRADE EMMA POWERFUL, MEDIA, AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY FOR IPOB.