‘Any attempt to kill Kanu in custody will end Nigeria,’ Group warns Nigerian govt

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide on Friday warned the Federal Government against any attempt to kill the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

In a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group said any harm on the IPOB leader would be the beginning of the country’s end as a nation.

The IPOB had in a statement issued by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, raised alarm on an alleged plot to eliminate the IPOB leader who is in the Department of State Service (DSS) custody.

Kanu is standing trial on alleged treasonable felony charges.

Ohanaeze commended President Muhammadu Buhari for holding talks with some Igbo leaders on the possible release of Kanu.

The group, however, urged IPOB to hold present and past South-East governors, lawmakers and others accountable for mismanagement of the resources given them for the development of the region since 1999.

The statement read: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has commended President Buhari for initiating a dialogue with neutral Igbo leaders led by Pa Mbazulike Amaechi without any South-East politicians’ usual manipulative infusions. Igbo politicians are the major problem in the South-East.

“The process for the release of Nnamdi Kanu has begun with the closed-door meeting of Buhari and Igbo leaders held today (Friday) at Abuja. We hope that the federal government will be sincere enough to keep their side of the bargain and shouldn’t be listening to the deceitful tales of the South-East politicians.

READ ALSO: IPOB alleges plot to ‘eliminate’ Nnamdi Kanu in DSS custody

“IPOB should channel their antagonism on the South-East politicians that have squandered the people’s resources from 1999 to date, IPOB should conduct forensic scrutiny on the financial recklessness of former South-East governors, former federal lawmakers, and others who have received allocation and constituency funds since 1999 to date.

“If IPOB tackles South-East politicians, they will sit up and render their stewardship to the people. We must hold our leaders accountable, as they constitute the major problem in the South-East, IPOB should face South-East political leaders before tackling Buhari.

“Attempts to assassinate Nnamdi Kanu will end up Nigeria and the Federal Government knows the consequences of hurting a British citizen in their custody, such stories of assassination attempts are ruse and will likely create disaffection between the federal government and neutral Igbo leaders working to secure Kanu’s release.

“South-East political leaders should face the consequences of their leadership failure in the South-East over the years, IPOB should query where there are no available hospitals, schools in the rural areas of the South-East, this is the new narrative to move and it will make South-East political leaders face developmental projects rather than siphoning the wealth of the people.”

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