The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has asked the General Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, to halt his planned crusade in Abia State, following security concerns.

The group gave the directive in a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful.

Kumuyi is billed to hold a Crusade themed: Jesus Power for Extra-Ordinary Breakthrough at the Aba Mega Hall, Abia, scheduled to hold between Tuesday 24th to Sunday 29th May 2022.

But Powerful said the cleric should rather remain in Lagos and intercede for the end of injustice in Nigeria.

The statement reads in part: “Let him and the organisers of the crusade make sure that nothing happens. The security of this region is not good because of political and criminal activities, therefore we advise him to stop this crusade for security reasons.

“IPOB will not allow anyone to die because of this crusade scheduled to hold in Aba. The operation of criminals operating as unknown gunmen infiltrating the events is high and they will blame it on IPOB.

“We ask him to pray for an end to the insecurity in Biafra land if he can. We charge Christians and men of God in Biafra land to engage God in fervent prayers to expose all those behind the insecurity in our land.

“Let him use the opportunity to pray against the powers holding the people captive in Nigeria in his church in Lagos.

“We equally want them to be united against injustice. We had expected them to demand justice for the innocent Deborah Yakubu, burnt alive by Muslim fanatics in Sokoto State.

“Her killers are walking freely today and 34 lawyers shamelessly volunteered to defend her killers, but Christians are just watching them.

“The double-faced Nigeria security agencies only managed to arrest two of her killers because they are Muslims, but if it were to be in the South-East, all the youths on the street will be in a police cell by now, while the unlucky ones would have been killed.

“How many Igbo or Christian lawyers came to defend our leader fighting for the freedom of all Biafrans? But 34 Muslim lawyers have come in defence of the killers of Deborah Yakubu.

“Is it not time Christians and men of God woke up to the realities in Nigeria? They should support Biafra and Oduduwa agitators in their bid to free Biafra and Oduduwa republics from the Islamic bondage in Nigeria, so that they will enjoy the freedom of worship in both republics.

“Leah Shuaibu is still in captivity today because she is a Christian, but all the Muslims abducted along with her have since been freed. Christians must support IPOB to liberate them from bondage in Nigeria.

“Kumuyi should also pray against wicked Leaders and saboteurs in Biafra land and Nigeria. They are the real problems of the people. Let him use the opportunity to pray against the powers holding people captive in Nigeria in his church in Lagos.”

Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has appealed to IPOB to allow Kumuyi hold his planned crusade.

CAN’s spokesperson, Adebayo Oladeji, said Kumuyi’s coming to Abia state would be a blessing to the people of the state.

He added that bloodshed and other forms of insecurity in the state and other South East require God’s intervention.

According to Oladeji, “It is unfortunate that we have killings going on in the South East. If the political will is there, I believe the killings in the region would have ended.

“We have a situation where you have IPOB declaring sit-at-home and despite the assurance by the government, people will decide to listen to IPOB. Is that what Nigeria should be? This is the situation we find ourselves.

“If IPOB issued such a statement, it is just a reflection of what we are going through in the country. This situation is a precarious one. What CAN will say is that our politicians are in the rat race again. We should open our eyes and vote for people who can protect us.

“There’s nothing we can do than to appeal to them (IPOB). We want IPOB to know that his coming to that part of the country is going to be a blessing and bring victory to the people of the state and the region at large.”