The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has challenged former Abia State Governor and Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, to present proof backing his recent comments alleging that the group and its security arm killed 30,000 people in the South-East.
The group issued the call on Saturday through its spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, insisting that the senator must show clear evidence to support the weighty accusation or apologise to the entire region for what it described as a politically-motivated smear.
In the statement, IPOB repeated its demand for “the proof of the 30,000 individuals killed by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB,” stressing that such accusations amount to criminal blackmail and cannot be brushed aside as political rhetoric.
The group said a claim of mass killings “is not merely a political issue,” noting that its members and the public deserve clarity.
IPOB also used the opportunity to issue several allegations against Senator Kalu. The group accused him of long-standing political manipulation in Abia, mismanagement of public funds, and enabling criminal networks during his tenure as governor.
According to the statement, the former governor allegedly “jeopardised the safety of Abia and Enugu States” by permitting dangerous actors to take control of the Lokpanta market along the Enugu–Port Harcourt expressway.
IPOB claimed this move was done “in exchange for political benefits,” and contributed to the wave of kidnappings and violent attacks that plagued the Enugu–Aba axis for years.
The group further accused Kalu of running a tight circle of political beneficiaries, alleging that his style of governance encouraged godfatherism and left behind a burden that successive administrations had to deal with.
IPOB argued that many of the infrastructural challenges witnessed before the coming of Governor Alex Otti were direct consequences of that legacy.
In addition, IPOB referenced old controversies surrounding the Bakassi Vigilante Group, claiming that Senator Kalu manipulated the group for political purposes shortly after assuming office in 1999.
The organisation maintained that the vigilante group existed before his administration but alleged that he used it as a tool against perceived enemies.
They also mentioned an unverified claim about the killing of one Ezeji from Mbaise in Umuahia, which IPOB described as a politically-influenced act linked to the era of the Bakassi Boys.
None of these allegations has been independently confirmed.
IPOB restated that it remains a peaceful self-determination movement that operates within the boundaries of “domestic and international laws.”
The group emphasised that its members are unarmed and that it has no military structure capable of carrying out the kind of coordinated violence suggested by the senator.
Defending the Eastern Security Network (ESN), IPOB described its operatives as a local protection outfit set up to defend rural communities from violent attacks.
It insisted that “there is no proof of ESN’s aggression against communities” and accused the government of failing to present any credible evidence linking the group to killings in the South-East.
The statement also distanced IPOB from armed groups operating in the region, including Autopilot and the Biafra Liberation Army, which it claimed are sponsored “by political interests,” including Senator Kalu.
IPOB maintained that Senator Kalu must release the identities and verifiable evidence of the alleged 30,000 victims or publicly retract his words. The group said the South-East, Nigerians, and the international community were waiting for the proof.
“If not, he ought to issue a public apology for his deceptive comments,” the statement concluded.
The development adds to ongoing political tensions in the South-East, where accusations from politicians, security agencies, and separatist movements continue to shape the region’s fragile security situation.