The presidency has revealed that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has a stockpile of bombs and different weapons across Nigeria, The Cable reports.
This was made known in a statement that was largely criticizing Amnesty International for defending pro-secession groups in Nigeria.
Amnesty had said that at least 200 members of IPOB, #EndSARS protesters, and former militants from Niger Delta have been subjected to “unresolved enforced disappearances”.
Responding, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson, described the allegations as “mere rants” and accused the human rights organization of taking sides with terrorists.
Shehu alleged that IPOB has amassed a “substantial stockpile” of weapons and bombs across the country.
“Speaking the language of universal human rights, Amnesty International deploys it only in defense, even outright promotion of those that violently oppose the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the statement reads.
“Parroting the line of Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, a proscribed terror organization, they work to legitimize its cause to Western audiences. This puts them in bad company. Controversial American lobbyists are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to do the same, laundering IPOB’s reputation in Washington DC.
“IPOB murder Nigerian citizens. They kill police officers and military personnel and set government property on fire. Now, they have amassed a substantial stockpile of weapons and bombs across the country. Were this group in a western country, you would not expect to hear Amnesty’s full-throated defense of their actions. Instead, there would be silence or mealy-mouthed justification of western governments’ action to check the spread of terrorism.
“Despite Amnesty’s self-proclaimed mandate to impartially transcend borders, unfortunately in Nigeria, they play only domestic politics. The international NGO is being used as cover for the organization’s local leaders to pursue their self-interests. Regrettably, this is not uncommon in Africa. There is nothing wrong with an activist stance; there are claims of neutrality when all facts point to the opposite.”
The presidency said the organization has no legal right to exist in Nigeria and advised it to probe its personnel in Nigeria.
“They should reject the outrageously tendentious misinformation they receive and bring some semblance of due diligence to the sources they base their claims on. Currently, we see none, the presidency added.
“The Nigerian government will fight terrorism with all the means at its disposal. We will ignore Amnesty’s rantings. Especially when it comes from an organization that does not hold itself to the same standards it demands of others.”