Armed security men stormed the church during mass, shot sporadically into the air before whisking Nwosu away.

IPOB in a statement released by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said if not for the fighting spirit of Nwosu’s family, the Uzodinma-led government would have blamed its militia wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN), for the “abduction of the politician.”

“We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) condemn the abduction of Uche Nwosu in the church.

This is another vindication that IPOB and Eastern Security Network (ESN) are not responsible for the numerous attacks, abductions/kidnappings in Imo State contrary to false accusations and propaganda by Hope Uzodinma and his co-travellers.

The incident has also further confirmed the complicity of Hope Uzodinma and the All Progressives Congress party in the insecurity going on in Imo State and the South-East region.

But for the dexterity and fighting spirit of Nwosu’s family and associates, Hope Uzodinma, his co-travellers and some infamous media houses would have, as usual, pointed accusing fingers at ESN, IPOB and unknown gunmen. But God Almighty, Chukwu Okike Abiama, has exposed them this time around.

It will not be a surprise if by tomorrow, Hope Uzodinma fingers Uche Nwosu and his in-law Rochas Okorocha as the sponsors of IPOB, ESN, unknown gunmen and insecurity in Imo State. We know his antics and such options may not be out of the table.

For the umpteenth time, no single individual can sponsor IPOB. We are a global movement and millions of our family members home and abroad remain the source of our sponsorship.

We have never hidden this fact because we are not a secret or terror organisation. IPOB is well grounded and we don’t need any Okorocha, Uche Nwosu or Hope Uzodinma or any politician for that matter to sponsor us. We have no dealings with corrupt politicians and people with questionable source of wealth.

It’s now transparently obvious to all who the masterminds of the abductions/killings of many traditional rulers and religious leaders including politicians in Imo State and other parts of South East are.

It is also now clear who created unknown gunmen to demonise and implicate IPOB and ESN operatives.”the statement read