The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has demanded that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu provide evidence to back his claim that the group and its security arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), k!lled 30,000 people in the South-East.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB reiterated its demand for “the proof of the 30,000 individuals k!lled by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB” allegedly referenced by Kalu, former Abia State governor.
The group said blackmail involving grave criminal allegations such as mass murder “is not merely a political issue,” insisting that Senator Kalu must publicly substantiate the claim or apologise.
In the statement, IPOB levelled several allegations against the senator, accusing him of political manipulation, misgovernance, and collusion with criminal elements during his tenure as Abia State governor.
The group alleged that Kalu “jeopardised the safety of Abia and Enugu States” by ceding the Lokpanta market along the Enugu–Port Harcourt expressway to criminal elements “in exchange for political benefits.”
IPOB further claimed the development contributed to security challenges, including kidnappings, along the Enugu–Aba corridor.
The group also accused the former governor of mismanaging state resources, running a system of political godfatherism, and presiding over poor-quality infrastructure projects.
IPOB alleged that successive administrations before Governor Alex Otti suffered the consequences of this “network of political beneficiaries.”
The group additionally accused Kalu of manipulating the Bakassi Vigilante Group for political purposes after assuming office in 1999, an allegation that has circulated for years but remains unproven.
IPOB claimed that the vigilante group predated Kalu’s administration and accused him of deploying it against political opponents.
The group also referenced an alleged k!lling linked to the Bakassi Boys, claiming that an individual named Ezeji from Mbaise was murdered in Umuahia, an allegation IPOB says was politically motivated.
None of these claims has been independently verified.
IPOB reiterated that it is a peaceful self-determination organisation operating within “domestic and international laws.”
It insisted that its members are unarmed and nonviolent.
The statement also defended the Eastern Security Network (ESN), describing its operatives as an organised vigilante structure formed to repel violent attacks by armed groups in rural communities.
IPOB maintained that “there is no proof of ESN’s aggression against communities” and said the Nigerian government has not provided “incontrovertible evidence” linking the group to k!llings in the South-East.
“IPOB lacks a military force,” the group repeated, distancing itself from armed groups such as Autopilot and the so-called Biafra Liberation Army, which it alleged are funded or supported by political interests, including Senator Kalu.
The group said Senator Kalu must present the identities and evidence of the purported 30,000 victims allegedly k!lled by IPOB and ESN.
It insisted that the public and the international community awaited proof of the claim.
“If not, he ought to issue a public apology for his deceptive comments,” the group added.
IPOB’s position reflects ongoing political tensions in the South-East, where accusations and counter-accusations between political actors, security agencies, and separatist groups continue to shape the region’s public discourse.
