‘Sponsors of killings in S’East want Kanu in custody permanently’ —IPOB

The outlawed Igbo secessionist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has said the increasing spate of killings in the South-East are being sponsored by some unnamed politicians who want the leader of the group, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to be kept in prison custody permanently.

The group, in a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful on Sunday, warned those behind the killings and abduction of innocent citizens in the region to desist from the heinous acts and stop accusing IPOB of perpetuating them.

Powerful added that the Nigerian judiciary has been hoodwinked into believing the narratives that the spate of violence in the region are carried out by IPOB and as such, have decided to keep Kanu in detention.

“The global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the indefatigable leader and liberator Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to reiterate once again over the incessant abductions, killings and insecurity in the Eastern region,” the statement said.

“Our people and those who claimed to be IPOB members need to understand that enemies will capitalise on the killings and insecurity in the South-East to blackmail IPOB and our peaceful agitation.

“Biafrans should take cognizance 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 killings could not reasonably have been done or perpetrated by IPOB.

Read also :‘Stop killings in South-East to ensure Kanu’s release,’ IPOB tells criminals

“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 South-East.

“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.

“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,” the statement said.

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