The Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) has denied killing a prominent medical doctor Chike Akunyili.
Mr Akunyili, the husband of late public health expert and former National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) Dora, was killed on Tuesday.
The slain medical practitioner who was killed alongside his driver and police orderly was said to be journeying back to Enugu from Onitsha, Anambra State, when some gunmen alleged to be herdsmen struck.
Cyril, the younger brother of Mr Akunyili, had in a Facebook post alleged that his elder brother was killed by the secessionist group but IPOB in a statement by its spokesperson Emma Powerful denied it.
Mr Powerful in a statement on Wednesday exonerated his group and noted that the killing, among others in the South-East, has political undertones.
“We, the great family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukkwu Kanu, wish to dissociate ourselves from the senseless killing of innocent citizens in Anambra state,” reads the statement.
“We have no hands in the political killings going on in Biafra land. We have, on several occasions, raised the alarm that some cruel politicians are hiding under the cloak of the situation in Biafra land to eliminate their political enemies and blame it on IPOB.
“We don’t know why wicked politicians especially in Imo and Anambra States will choose to slaughter their opponents and turn around and point accusing fingers at IPOB or the operatives of Eastern Security Network (ESN).
“Politicians should leave us alone and settle their scores. No IPOB member or ESN operative is involved in such barbarity. We have no interest in zoo politics. Restoration of Biafra is our mandate!
Denies issuing “No Election” order in Anambra
“We also wish to clarify that IPOB has never issued any official statement that there would be no governorship election in Anambra state.
“Those peddling such rumour are not our members, and should be ignored. Our position on Anambra election will be made public at the right time through our normal channels of information dissemination. Anything to the contrary should be disregarded.
“Members of the public should stop believing social media fake stories purported to have emanated from IPOB. We are an organized movement and we don’t hide our position on any matter.
“Those who killed Dora Akunyili’s husband killed his wife with poison from Fulani because she exposed the death of Yar’adua to Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to take over President of failed Nigeria, they know themselves those conspired to poisoned prof. Dora Akunyili, they’re contesting the governorship election in Anambra state today,” the group added.
