The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday, challenged the Nigeria Army of the Wawa Military Barracks, Niger State to prove that two of its alleged detained members, Idara Gold and Henry, are still alive by allowing their lawyers to see them.
IPOB alleged that Idara and Henry were arrested last year, saying some Igbo people particularly women and ladies were also arrested by the military in the South-East and taken to Wawa Military Barracks.
The pro-Biafra group alleged that seven months after Idara Gold and Henry were taken to Niger State by officials of the Nigerian Army and Department of State Services (DSS), their families and lawyers have not been allowed to see them.
A statement by IPOB, Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, entitled ‘Nigerian Military, (Army) and DSS must allow Idara Gold and Henry’s lawyers to see them in Wawa Military barracks, if they are still alive,’ lamented that the men, ladies and women were unjustiably being detained
The statement read in part: “Seven months after they were kidnapped, they are held incommunicado and they have been denied access to their lawyers and family. The security agency on several of the court dates have equally failed to produce them in court to answer to whatever charges may be preffered against them.
“Having failed to produce these innocent people in court or grant their lawyers access to them, we the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra are left with no other option than to alert the world community and human rights organisations that the DSS and the Nigerian Army may have murdered Gold and Henry.
“Idara Gold was abducted in October 2021 in Enugu State for putting on Biafra attire during her birthday celebration. Initially, the DSS denied arresting her when she was declared missing by her friends and family members.
“After much pressure DSS later acknowledged her arrest and transfered her to the DSS Head Office in Abuja. After frantic efforts made by her lawyers, IPOB lawyers and relatives to have access to her in DSS detention facility in Abuja failed, DSS claimed that she has been transferred to Wawa military detention facility in Kainji, Niger State.”