No knowledge of IPOB’s presence in our country, says French embassy

France has denied the allegation that the financial headquarters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is in its country.

On Wednesday, Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, alleged that the group had been receiving financial assistance from the European nation.

“Let me tell you, the financial headquarters is in France, we know, but you see, can you as a government stop sending money to your parents? You have to block the sources of finance, that is what I said recently,” he had said.

But in a statement on Thursday, the embassy of France expressed shock over the minister’s allegations, saying it did not know of the presence of IPOB.

The embassy said it was ready to examine any information which supports Mohammed’s allegation.

“The embassy of France was surprised by the statement made yesterday by the minister of information and culture indicating that the financial headquarters of IPOB is in France,” read the statement signed by Claude Abily, a political counsellor of the embassy.

“We don’t have any knowledge of a particular presence of IPOB in France and the Nigerian authorities never got in touch with the embassy on this point.

“We stand ready to examine any information which could support this statement. Furthermore, we would like to reiterate that France actively cooperates with Nigeria in the field of security and that we strongly support the unity of the country.”