Killings in S’East intended to keep Kanu permanently in detention, scuttle Biafra –IPOB

From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has appealed to criminals killing and kidnapping people in the Southeast to stop the barbaric act, saying that they do not have the backing of the pro-Biafra group.

The group also raised the alarm on fresh plots to keep its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, permanently in detention, saying that the incessant killings and kidnappings in the Southeast were designed to blackmail IPOB to prevent Kanu from being granted bail, as well as scuttle the Biafra struggle.

Spokesperson of the group, Emma Powerful, who disclosed this in a statement at the weekend, explained why most of the killings occur few days to Kanu’s appearance in court.

He said: “Biafrans should take cognisance of the timing of these heinous and barbaric acts of violence and murder. Our people and the world community should note that most of these heinous killings happen a few days before our leader’s court dates.

“For instance, the army couple, the house of assembly member, the pregnant Hausa woman. These killing could not reasonably have been done or perpetrated by IPOB.

“These atrocities are being committed by people who want to ensure that our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, doesn’t come out from DSS custody and nobody who is genuinely interested in his release will be involved in these criminalities going on in the Southeast.

“How can the killing of our own people whom our leader, Mazi Nnamdi, is fighting for their liberation and freedom help in securing his release?

“It will only complicate his case and turn our people against him and against the Biafran cause which is what the Nigeria government wants and working with politicians and certain compromised elements in our land through its security agencies and Fulani terrorist herdsmen.

“Again, these killings are also calculated to intimidate and blackmail the judiciary who might be open in granting him justice because our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has no case to answer.

“How many Nigerian judges do you think would be bold and courageous enough to order the release of a person whose group are accused of killing security operatives and destroying government property?

“Therefore, our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wants any genuine person who genuinely desires his freedom from this hell of torture he is currently undergoing to stop all forms of criminalities going on in the region and ensure he or she works in tandem with the structure he puts in place and joined with them to move this struggle forward.”