IPOB reacts to Garba Shehu’s claims that Kanu’s trial will weaken group

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has responded to claims by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu that the arrest and detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu will lead to the end of the successionist group.

According to IPOB, instead of Kanu’s current travails to weaken it, Nigeria will be the one to be destabilised, adding that by ‘kidnapping’ and ‘renditioning’ Kanu, the country committed an international crime, requiring no further proof for the world to know that “IPOB is a peaceful movement.”

The group stated this in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, in reaction to a statement credited to the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rted), Shehu Garba, on Sunday night, that the arrest and trial of Kanu, would lead to the end of IPOB.

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The statement read: “The attention of the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra ably led by our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the ranting and laughable statement from Garba Shehu, the SSA Media to President Buhari saying that the extraordinary rendition of IPOB leader will lead to the end of IPOB agitation.

“We are surprised at the level of cluelessness and ignorance displayed by Garba Shehu about the operations of IPOB. We, therefore, want to assure him and his co-travellers that extraordinary rendition of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will rather destroy Nigeria and not IPOB. By kidnapping and renditioning Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Nigeria has commited international crime and must not go unpunished.

“The world doesn’t need any further proof that IPOB is a peaceful movement. The kidnap of its Leader by Nigerian Government is a crime that must be punished. So, by this singular violation of international law, Nigeria is in already, but instead of admitting the obvious, its officials are busy playing to the gallery.

“But very soon, the masterminds of this heinous crime will be rounded up and handed over to the international criminal court, ICC, for prosecution. IPOB is not a push-over movement, and we cannot be intimidated. Just very soon, our oppressors will be taught by ICC in the language they understand.

“IPOB remains a non-violent organisation, but has been the victim of the high-handedness of the Nigerian authorities. The wicked Nigeria security agents have continued their secret genocide against Biafra agitators. But they will pay for their atrocities very soon

“We want Garba Shehu; Mungono; the National Intelligence Agency; and the Attorney-General of Nigeria, Abubakar Malami, to stop displaying their ignorance of international law . They should stop media trial of our Leader, whose matter is already pending in a court of law, because the whole world knew them and understood that Fulani has destroyed Nigeria and the world will not join them to call IPOB a terrorist organisation.

“Mungono must settle terrorists and bandits he encourages and support, to cause havoc in the North-East and West of Nigeria because the ordinary civilians and Christians there, have seen hell from his plots and killings. He should play his politics to salvage his land from the hands of vampires ravaging North-East and West of Nigeria. Mungono, leave IPOB alone and face what is facing you and your people.

“This is not 1970, when the world looked the other way, while they commited mass atrocities in Biafra land. IPOB is getting stronger by Kanu’s rendition while Nigeria is headed for destruction.”

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