The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Sunday denied soliciting funds from politicians to undertake its activities in the South-East.
The former Director of Radio Biafra, Simon Ekpa, had in August announced the opening of a new account in a bid to solicit donations and support for the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the group militia wing.
The IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, who made the clarification in a statement on Sunday, urged the media and Nigerians to be wary of people disguising as the group’s representatives.
The statement read: “Following numerous complaints we have received concerning people claiming to be representatives of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, who approach politicians in Nigeria, soliciting financial support for IPOB, we wish to clarify that IPOB has NEVER, and will NEVER ask anybody to beg for such financial support.
“IPOB under the able leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu did not send anybody on such shameful errand.
IPOB is a global movement with members in over 100 countries and we know how we raise our funds. We don’t solicit financial support from politicians. We have nothing to do with Nigerian politicians; we don’t need their money!
“Therefore, anybody no matter how highly or lowly placed or even related to our Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, parading as a representative of IPOB sent to collect financial support from any politician is on his or her own. Such impostors assuming the complaints are correct are scammers. They don’t have the mandate of IPOB.
“We, therefore, seriously warn anybody swindling unsuspecting or greedy politicians in the name of IPOB to immediately disembark from such scandalous mission or brace up for the dire consequences.”
