Last Friday, IPOB members protested in Aba over the continued detention of Kanu.
The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has commended its members in Aba, Abia State over its peaceful protest demanding the unconditional release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by the Nigerian government.
Last Friday, IPOB members protested in Aba over the continued detention of Kanu.
The protesters vowed not to allow the 2023 elections to hold in the South-East if their leader was not released and Biafra granted autonomy by then.
They urged Nigeria to forget about conducting the 2023 elections In the South-East “if our leader, Nnamdi Kanu is still in DSS Custody”.
The protest which was held in Abia South local government area was peaceful and non-violent and was monitored by security agencies.
The protesters warned that they may be forced to shut down the economies of the South-East and the entire country until their leader is released from detention.
“Some of the courts asked that they should take our leader back to Kenya where they illegally abducted him from.
“This is part of our renewed warning signal to the federal government that they should forget 2023 elections in the southeast if they continue to detain Nnamdi Kanu,” one of the protesters said.
Chanting solidarity songs, and carrying placards some of which read, “Release our leader, Nnamdi Kanu without delay, “Grant us the state of Biafra immediately”, and “There will be no election in Igbo land in 2023, what we need is a referendum for Biafra”, the protesters warned residents to keep off the streets of the city on Monday as next week’s sit-at-home will be thoroughly monitored.
IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful in a statement hailed its members for being peaceful during the protest.
The group also said it has no hand in the abduction of a military man in the Ohafia Local Government Area of the state.
The statement read, “It came to the knowledge of IPOB leadership that while IPOB family members and other lovers of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu were peacefully matching, some unscrupulous elements and criminals including political thugs used the opportunity of the peaceful protest to destroy some of the political billboards in the Enyimba City (Aba). IPOB has no political enemies that will warrant us destroying political billboards of any political party or persons.
“Therefore, we want everyone to understand that IPOB members were not responsible for the destruction of any political billboards at Aba yesterday. It's on record that for over 8 years IPOB has protested everywhere in the world and we have been peaceful, civil, and well-organized. Never, has there been any record of violence, destruction, or loss of property. We never elicit unwarranted military assaults from Nigeria Security Forces.
“We are warning political enemies and oppositions to settle their problems and leave IPOB out of their predicaments and misunderstandings. The only politics IPOB will be interested in is Biafra Referendum and any politics involved in that process.
“In another development, IPOB has no hand in kidnapping a military man from Ohafia LGA, IPOB found out that the military missed his road and delayed in joining his colleagues in their vehicle, army declared him kidnapped by IPOB members, we are not kidnappers or killers nobody should blame or linking with such blackmail.
“IPOB members are only after the release of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from DSS custody since the courts of competent jurisdictions have discharged and acquitted him from all charges. We are not interested in Nigeria's fraudulent elections or selection and whoever becomes the next British and Fulani slave as President.
“We are warning IPOB family members to watch out for any political thug who wants to hide under IPOB to attack their political enemies or carry out any destruction of opposition's properties. We advise Biafrans to be vigilant and never allow political enemies and infiltrators to spoil the hallowed name of IPOB.
“IPOB once again says we are not responsible for any destruction of political billboards at Aba or responsible for the kidnapping of Nigeria military in Ohafia LGA we are aware that Nigerian Government and its security agents especially the military, police and DSS agents want to take over Ohafia LGA for Fulani terrorists masquerading as herdsmen in Abia State or elsewhere in the Biafra Region.”