He said the Nigerian Army commander in Enugu at the time paid a visit to his office that he had orders to arrest Kanu.
The Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has narrated how the Nigerian Army got across to him and later carried out the infamous invasion of the country home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, in September 2017.
The governor explained, in an interview with Vanguard, that the Nigerian Army commander at that time only approached him (Ikpeazu) that he (the officer) had orders to arrest Kanu, but the army did not talk about an all-out invasion.
Ikpeazu granted the interview in Abuja, with regards to the September 17, 2017 military invasion of the Afaraukwu Ibeku country home of the detained IPOB leader, Kanu.
Ikpeazu who reiterated that he was not pre-informed of the infamous raid, said the Nigerian Army commander in Enugu at the time paid a visit to his office that he had orders to arrest Kanu.
“I was not told that anything like that (invasion) was going to happen. I only saw the General Officer Commanding who was at Enugu that time; he showed up in my office and told me that he would arrest Nnamdi Kanu.
“I asked him why? He said he had orders to arrest him. I told him to give me few hours and he obliged. I called the traditional rulers and asked them to talk to Nnamdi’s father who was a traditional ruler to persuade Nnamdi to come and have a word with the GOC, but Nnamdi Kanu refused, saying he was under siege already in his house. I didn’t know that the soldiers were already everywhere.”
According to Ikpeazu, the agitation for self-determination being championed by Kanu, was borne out of the injustice being perpetrated against the South-East by the Nigerian government.
He said, “What is happening in the South-East now is as a result of total disregard of the interest of the South-East people by the government at the centre. What has happened in the South-East is a combination of all manner of things. One is the total disregard of the interest of the South-East by the centre and flagrant and provocative comments from both the government and various elements and characters.
“It is difficult to find peace wherever injustice pesters. Nnamdi Kanu is saying that if we are not wanted, could we go? There are three options available to every man: integrate me, let me be part of it and the other one; endure until you die or exit but the system is saying: endure until you are annihilated. The leadership of the nation is not engaging.”