The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has challenged Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to provide evidence for his claim that over 30,000 lives were lost due to the activities of IPOB and its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, in the South-East.
Kalu, representing Abia North, made the assertion on Sunday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, arguing that the secessionist agitations linked to Kanu had caused widespread fatalities and business losses.
He also called for political solutions to the crisis rather than continued public “noise-making.”
In a statement released on Tuesday, November 25, IPOB spokesman Emma Powerful described Kalu’s claims as “false” and “irresponsible,” accusing the senator of making the allegations for personal political gain.
“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,” the statement read.
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Powerful said the casualties and destruction in the region were orchestrated by the Federal Government and some South-Eastern politicians to malign IPOB and its security arm, the Eastern Security Network (ESN).
He emphasised that IPOB has remained non-violent despite repeated military aggression targeting its members.
“The IPOB struggle has consistently faced attacks and killings backed by the state,” Powerful added, noting that the group has repeatedly called for independent investigations into violence in the South-East since 2015, which the government has yet to permit.
He concluded, “IPOB urges Orji Uzor Kalu to present proof of his assertions. As far as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB are concerned, we bear no responsibility for the death of any Igbo individual or the destruction of businesses in the East.”
Kalu had earlier insisted that resolving the situation through dialogue and political negotiation, rather than public debate, was crucial, citing the devastating losses suffered by ordinary citizens.