What still hangs heavily on the lips of every concerned Nwafo Igbo is the endless wait for confirmation that the leader of these monsters; the merchants of death who have desecrated Ala-Igbo is truly no more.
Yet, even if the final confirmation eventually comes in the affirmative, not many will openly celebrate this unprecedented relief. Why? Because fear still reigns supreme. The fear is real, the silence is palpable, and the sword of terror continues to dangle menacingly over our land.
In my successive interventions, I have consistently dissected these fears and their devastating consequences. Today, I urge our people to draw courage from the immortal words of Senator Dino Melaye (SDM), words he boldly re-echoed at the just-concluded Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Enugu:
“If you speak the truth, you will die; if you lie, you will still die.”
Senator Dino chose the former, to speak the truth and damn the consequences. That choice is the courage that Ala-Igbo desperately needs today.
When weighed against our present reality, one truth becomes evident: fear has become the silent anthem of the average Igbo man/Biafran; whether at home or in the diaspora. This silence is not born of ignorance, but of dread. Fear of the unknown. Fear of reprisals. Fear of betrayal. Even those in political circles dare not utter a word, for many are complicit; by association, by connivance, or by their silent romance with the evil forces tearing our homeland apart.
A glance back at my earlier writings reveals a disturbing pattern: the bloody activities of the Simon Ekpa-led killer gang appear to have been procured, wittingly or unwittingly, by political contrivance. Their mission has been clear; to malign, demonize, and smear the noble image of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) before the world.
Otherwise, how do we explain the curious phenomenon that whenever any of Simon Ekpa’s foot soldiers is apprehended, his default confession is: “I am a member of IPOB, fighting for the liberations of Biafrans.
Immediately, IPOB’s leadership would issue statement after statement, dissociating the movement from these blood merchants. Yet the killings persist. Worse still, their Finland-based leader shamelessly mounts his digital pulpit, openly claiming responsibility for the atrocities; sometimes labeling his killers as members of the so-called BLA, yet always leaving enough confusion for enemies of truth to smear IPOB’s name.
The result? A poisonous narrative has taken root. At the slightest incident in the East; without evidence, without investigation, blame is instantly heaped on IPOB. This is not only dishonest; it is dangerous.
From the very beginning, I have called these outlaws by their true name: criminals, not agitators; killers, not freedom fighters. I have consistently exposed Simon Ekpa’s killer squad as nothing more than tools of destruction masquerading as liberators.
Even today, while an appeal against the proscription of IPOB is still pending before the Supreme Court, the name-calling persists, weaponized for political convenience. But let no one be deceived: security agencies operating in Imo State and its environs know the truth. They know those recruiting vulnerable youths, destroying communities, and turning Imo into a blood-soaked theatre are not Biafra agitators. They are criminal gangs, plain and simple.
Let it also be said: invoking the holy name of Chukwu Okike Abiama does not make one a freedom fighter. That divine name has existed from eternity. Yet today, the treacherous, the fraudulent, and the bloodthirsty invoke it in vain, seeking legitimacy for their crimes. They forget that the Scriptures are unambiguous about the consequences of taking the name of the Creator in vain. Many of them already stand as living testimonies of the dire outcome of such sacrilege.
This is why the cheering reports of ongoing security onslaughts in Imo State, the headquarters of the desecrators of Ala-Igbo, must be welcomed and sustained. This is not merely a campaign against criminals; it is a war for the survival of our homeland.
I urge security agencies: remain resolute, remain focused. Distinguish the peaceful global movement of IPOB from the identities of these criminals and merchants of death. History will record the difference.
Until the most gracious news of recent times finally resounds across our land, I shall continue to celebrate in advance, for truth, no matter how delayed, will always triumph over falsehood.
* Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Esq. (KSC)