The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has strongly refuted comments by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu alleging that more than 30,000 Igbos lost their lives as a result of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s activism in the South-East.
Kalu, who represents Abia North Senatorial District, made the claim on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, insisting that separatist agitations linked to the detained IPOB leader had led to massive casualties and economic disruption in the region.
He said, “Do you know that over 30,000 Igbos were killed? People who own shops have lost their businesses. I used to sell my own products in Aba, so I know the figures.”
Reacting on Tuesday, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful dismissed the allegation and demanded that the senator provide concrete evidence to support his statement.
“The global family of IPOB condemns the reckless and false claims by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu that 30,000 people died because of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s activism. Such comments are malicious and aimed at gaining political favour at the expense of his own people,” Powerful said.
He reiterated IPOB’s position that the group remains non-violent, adding that incidents of insecurity in the South-East were the result of state-backed military operations and political sabotage.
“The insecurity, deaths, and destruction in the South-East were orchestrated by the Federal Government and some politicians to blackmail IPOB and ESN,” he alleged. “Evidence shows that IPOB and our leader have consistently been targets of government-sponsored attacks.”
The group also renewed its call for an independent investigation into violence in the region since 2015, arguing that the Federal Government has resisted any impartial inquiry.
“IPOB challenges Orji Uzor Kalu to present proof of his claims. IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu are not responsible for the death of any Igbo person or the destruction of businesses in the South-East,” the statement added.
Kalu’s remarks came days after Kanu was convicted on terrorism-related charges. The former Abia governor stressed the need for political dialogue rather than continued public agitation, urging stakeholders to pursue a comprehensive approach to resolving tensions in the region.
“As Bianca Ojukwu and Mascot Kalu have said, we need less noise and more focus on negotiating solutions with the Federal Government. I have been working closely with the authorities to address this issue,” he said.
