Tensions escalated over the weekend after the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) threatened legal action against the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Mr. Danjuma Aboki, over what it called a “malicious and defamatory” claim linking the group to the recent killings in Mbano, Imo State. The separatist movement is demanding a public retraction and apology within seven days or face litigation for criminal defamation.
In a strongly worded statement released on Saturday, July 26, 2025, IPOB’s spokesperson Emma Powerful condemned the police commissioner’s alleged attribution of the Mbano massacre to IPOB, describing it as a calculated smear campaign to demonize the group and derail its peaceful self-determination struggle. “This is a vile attempt to criminalize IPOB and mislead the public,” he said.
Powerful insisted IPOB had no hand in the violence and accused Mr. Aboki of inciting public hatred through false and inflammatory remarks. The group maintains that its activities remain rooted in non-violence and international legal instruments, and warned that scapegoating IPOB for every crisis in the Southeast only fuels instability and distrust in the region.
“We will not tolerate any more slander or attempts to criminalize our cause,” the statement continued. “The blood of our people must not be used to sanitize failed security operations and political incompetence. If the commissioner fails to retract his falsehoods within the stipulated period, we will initiate criminal proceedings and seek full compensation for reputational damage.”
The backdrop to this legal warning is the July 24 mass killing in Mbano, which left several villagers dead. While the Imo State Police Command linked the attack to IPOB, multiple human rights groups and local witnesses have questioned that narrative, suggesting alternative security threats may be responsible—including foreign-backed armed herdsmen and external militias hiding in the region’s dense forests.
This isn’t the first time IPOB has confronted government agencies over alleged false accusations. The group has consistently alleged a coordinated media and security propaganda war aimed at branding its members terrorists, despite growing calls for dialogue from international observers and rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Legal experts are now watching closely to see if the Imo CP responds to the ultimatum, as this case could set a precedent on the boundaries of public statements by state officials and the rights of groups under Nigeria’s defamation laws. For IPOB, this marks another chapter in its broader battle not just for independence, but also for control over its public image and narrative.
