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Abuja – The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, has warned members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) against arming themselves in the ongoing tensions with uniformed forces.
Spokesperson of the police, Olabisi Kolawole, relayed Arase’s warning.
“The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a publication credited to the Indigenous People of Biafra ‘to carry guns in self defence and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has sternly warned members of the IPOB to reconsider their stand or face the wrath of the extant laws on bearing of firearms,” Kolawole said.
Kolawole said the IGP warned that anybody who dared security agencies in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities and made life difficult for law abiding citizens would face the law.
Thus, the IGP cautioned the IPOB members to follow appropriate avenues in airing their grievances.
“Members of the group should therefore note that it is an offence punishable under the criminal Law of the Federation of Nigeria for a person to have in his possession or under his control any prohibited firearms without licence or permit,” said Kolawole.
“The IPOB are advised to be guided in respect of the above as the Police Force is poised to uphold the existing restriction over the use of firearms,” Kolawole added.
She assured that the Nigeria Police Force, complemented by other security agencies in the country, would work towards eliminating any threat to internal security and social disorder.
IPOB is among some groups demanding the independence of Biafra from Nigeria. Biafra was a secessionist state in then south-eastern Nigeria. It existed from 1967 to 1970.
