By Praise Chinecherem
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned manufacturers and distributors of crystal meth popularly known as Mkpurummiri in Orlu, Imo State and other areas in the Southeast to shut down their operations immediately.
Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, in a statement said the group has identities of these involved and their accomplices.
It warned those involved to desist forthwith, threatening not only to make their identities public but would also take every measure to ensure their illicit drug businesses were terminated if they fail to adhere to the warning.
The group accused Imo State Government of tacitly supporting the hard drugs production in his Orlu Province as a covert operation to destroy and weaken the mental health of Ndigbo, insisting that it would not sit by and watch criminals destroy Igbo youths with illicit drugs.
The statement reads, “The attention of the Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been drawn to the dangerous and damaging illicit hard drugs manufacturing businesses going on at Umuaka, Orlu Province in Imo State under the protection and cover of the zoo Government and their Security Agencies.
“IPOB Intelligence Unit has discovered about 10 factories producing dangerous drugs called Crystal Meth, locally known as Mkpurummiri located in Umuaka town, Orlu Province in Imo State. These drug factories were established by six (6) individuals from Umuaka Community who returned from South Africa.
“These drug dealers in South Africa have decided to return their drug business to Alaigbo just to destroy Igbo youths. These notorious drug dealers who also own some hotels and night clubs in Owerri, Imo State operate from these hotels to distribute their illicit drugs to other states, like Lagos, kano, River State, (Igweoch/Port Harcourt), their Federal capital territory of Abuja, and other places in Nigeria.
“The violent crimes going on within Orlu Province in Imo State have nothing to do with the struggle for an independent Biafran Nation. Some of these drug dealing criminals claim to be agitating for the freedom of Biafra, while in reality, they are simply violent drug merchants.
“Unfortunately, these drug dealers are operating under the cover of the Nigerian and Imo State Government and their murderous Security Forces. The Orlu axis in Imo State has the highest concentration of military and Police deployment in Imo State. These military and Police officers were deployed to Orlu Province to give cover and protect the illicit drug production and distribution operations.
“The government at the federal and state levels and the Nigerian security forces are accomplices to the drug production businesses going on in Imo State. They are either co-owners of these crystal meth (Mkpurumiri) factories, or they are beneficiaries of the proceeds of the drug sales and distribution businesses.
“There is no way that an over militarized zone like Orlu, Imo State will have about 10 factories producing and distributing crystal meth (Mkpurummiri) without the knowledge and protection from the Nigerian and Imo State Governments and her notorious Security Agencies.
“By this press release, IPOB is giving notice to those involved in the manufacture and distribution of Mkpurummiri in Orlu and their kinds anywhere else in Alaigbo to shut down their operations immediately. We have the identities of these involved and their accomplices. If you fail to adhere to this warning, IPOB will not only make your identities public but will also take every measure to ensure that your illicit drug business is terminated.
“IPOB called for the return of Biafra businesses and investments, not criminality and destructive and ilicit criminal activities like the manufacturing of Mkpurummiri. IPOB will not sit by and watch criminals destroy Igbo youths with illicit drugs just so that you will be called millionaires. Moreso, the Imo State Government headed by Hope Uzodinma may have tacitly supported these hard drugs production in his own Provence in Orlu, in the South East as a covert operation to destroy and weaken the mental health of Ndigbo.
“IPOB is calling on all well-meaning Igbo sons and daughters to join hands with IPOB to destroy the illicit drug cartel in Alaigbo for our peace and security. IPOB cautions every Igbo person, both old and young, to stop patronising them by stopping the consumption and distribution of Mkpurummiri.
“These criminals that set up the production of these Mkpurummiri are wanted criminals in South Africa who ran down to Alaigbo to destroy Umuigbo with the tacit support from the government of Nigeria. IPOB volunteers are monitoring them. If you are caught destributing these Mkpurummiri, you will be treated as a criminal and a murderer.
“We encourage Ndigbo to support IPOB and ESN by providing reliable information of these drug cartels and their channels activities anywhere they operate. We all have a duty to protect our land from those bent on destroying us.”
