Fugitive of IPOB violence kidnapped in Lagos, rescued

In what one may call double jeopardy for a 30 years old man Izuka Chibuzor Valentine, a fugitive of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB violence in eastern Nigeria, narrowly escaped death in the hands of hired killers who kidnapped him in the Ikotun area of Lagos State.

Chibuzor, who hails from Awo-Omamma village in Okwuorji Local Government Area of Imo State, was reportedly abducted on August 13, 2021 from where he had gone to buy some medicine at a pharmacy shop by the unknown assailants.

He was said to have been rescued by a hunter after the hoodlums left him for dead after beating him to stupor and abandoned him in the forest.

Sources close to Chibuzor revealed that since he escaped persecution from local hostilities on allegations of being a member of the separative Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB in Imo State, he had received several death threats from some persons including the youth leader from his village who had severally accused him of aiding the outlawed group.

IPOB member on the other hand threaten and attack people whom they often accused of leaking information about them to agents of the Nigerian State, thus creating tension all over the region.

Chibuzor it was learnt, had lost his elder brother and his grocery shop in an attack on suspicion that he is encouraging the separative group in eastern Nigeria craving an independent Biafra State from Nigeria.

Their violent activities have caused the Federal Government to declare IPOB a terrorist organization and subsequently deploy troops to protect the region from their nefarious activities.

The military onslaught against the IPOB tendencies in Igboland provoked several anti-Nigerian State sentiments with several coordinated attacks launched on military checkpoints and formations in the region.

Conversely, the local people who do not share in the philosophy of an independent Biafra State has taken the gaunlet in resistance of the activities of the separatists group in communities to avoid the brutal annihilation by the Nigerian State of communities suspected to be siding IPOB members.

As a result, many innocent persons had been caught in the cross-fire between the military and the militant wing of IPOB, the Eastern Security Network, ESN.

The violence has none the less caused a confidence crisis among the locals who were often falsely branded as informants to the security agents any time the criminals were raided from their hide-outs, or of being members of the outlawed group.

However, there also grew a corresponding anti IPOB sentiments across the region thus causing severe mutual suspicions and general insecurity in the region.

It was gathered that Chibuzor’s brother, IZUKA Namdi, a successful Business man in Awo-Omamma village was murdered on suspicion of being a member of IPOB after his alleged involvement with the felons, drew the err of the community which descended on his means of livelihood and burnt down his drinking bar after he had been chased away from the village.

Chibuzor who apparently didn’t like the treatment metted out on his brother, led a peaceful protest against the cold blooded murder of his brother after making futile efforts at getting the police at Awo-Omamma to act.

He was however forced to escape from his homeland after several threats to his life for daring to raise an opposition voice against the killing of his brother Izuka Nnamdi.