Popular Peacebuilding organization, Foundation for Peace Professional also known as PeacePro has condemned the attack on Imo State police headquarters by outlaw secessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a statement by Executive Director of PeacePro, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group said
Information reaching it indicates that earlier this morning, around 1 am (midnight), members of outlaw secessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which had been tagged threat to Peace in the January edition of PeacePro’s State of Peace report, launched a deadly attack on the Police Headquarters in Imo State, killing several people, freeing about 1500 criminals in detention and burning several vehicles within the police premises.
The Imo State police command has since confirmed this attack.
This violent attack against police headquarters, according to Hamzat confirmed the PeacePro’s conclusion in the state of Peace report, which designated IPOB as insurgency threat to Peace, which deserves similar concentration like the Boko Haram insurgency.
In the January edition of State of Peace in Nigeria report, PeacePro State in its recommendations for Imo States that,
“Threat posed by
proscribed
Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB) and its
Eastern Security
Network (ESN) has
grown into
insurgency level and
the government must
create a conversation
platform with the
people to understand
the implication of the
situation.
PeacePro also added that,
“Government must
respond to all
misunderstood issues
of statehood, being
canvassed by the
group to gain
sympathy and
elevating such
conversation to make
violence unattractive”.
In the state of Peace report, PeacePro identified Imo and Abia State as hot spot for IPOB insurgency, as it advised government to as a matter of urgency, provide support for security
agencies to deal with
criminal situation.
The organization therefore condemned this violence and call on Federal Government to address the situation with all seriousness it deserves before it degenerate beyond control.
End
