IPOB Slams Orji Kalu Over Claim That 30,000 Died Due To Nnamdi Kanu’s Agitation

The Indigenous People of Biafra has dismissed as false and irresponsible claims by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu that over 30,000 people have died as a result of the agitation led by IPOB’s detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in the South-East.

Kalu, who represents Abia North, made the claim on Sunday while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he lamented that secessionist activities and the resulting insecurity had led to massive casualties and business losses in the region.

In a statement on Tuesday, IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, challenged Kalu to present evidence to support his allegation, insisting that neither IPOB nor Kanu bears responsibility for the death of any Igbo person or the destruction of businesses.

Powerful accused the senator of making the claims for selfish political gain.

According to the statement: “The worldwide family and movement of IPOB denounces the irresponsible and false claims from Senator Orji Uzor that 30,000 individuals lost their lives due to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s activism in the South East region. This declaration arises from a malevolent spirit and a person who has chosen to barter his kin for selfish political gain.”

He added that IPOB was “extremely upset and enraged” by the statements, describing them as “entirely fabricated” and part of a deliberate effort to undermine IPOB and its leader.

IPOB alleged that insecurity and destruction in the South-East were orchestrated by the Federal Government and certain local politicians to blackmail the movement and its security wing, the Eastern Security Network.

“The insecurity, fatalities, and devastation that occurred in the South-East were orchestrated by the Federal Government and certain South-Eastern politicians to blackmail IPOB and ESN,” the group said.

It maintained that IPOB has remained non-violent since inception, arguing that its members have instead been victims of state-backed attacks and military aggression.

The group said it had repeatedly demanded an impartial probe into killings in the region since 2015 but alleged that such investigations have been blocked.

“IPOB urges Orji Uzor Kalu to present proof of his assertions. As far as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB are involved, we bear no responsibility for the death of any Igbo individual or the damage to businesses in the East,” the statement added.

The media earlier reported Kalu’s comments, in which he argued that public debate often focuses on security operatives killed in clashes while ignoring the thousands of civilians he claims were affected.

He had said: “Do you know that over 30,000 Igbos were killed? People who have shops have lost their businesses… The problem of Nnamdi Kanu is what we need to solve through the political process.”

Kalu warned against “noise-making,” urging political actors to seek a negotiated settlement to the crisis.

The disagreement adds a new dimension to the ongoing debate over the impact of secessionist agitation and the wider security challenges in the South-East.