Apex Igbo socio-Cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, disagreed with the plan by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to lock down the South-East for one month, if its leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not brought to court on October 21, 2021.
A statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, alleged that the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Department of State Service (DSS), in Abuja have concluded plans not to bring Mazi Kanu to court on October 21, 2021.
However, Ohanaeze advised IPOB not to carry out the threat, warning that it would be counter-productive to the cause they are pursuing.
Similarly, Igbo elite body, Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), said they don’t envisage anything that will stop DSS from producing Kanu in court that day.
IPOB alleged that the plan of the Federal Government and DSS is to perpetually keep Mazi Kanu behind bars without trial to see if they can demoralise him and Biafrans.
IPOB statement entitled, “Biafra land will go on one month lockdown if Nnamdi Kanu is not brought to Court on October 21, 2021”, however, warned that its peaceful disposition as a people should not be misconstrued as weakness.
IPOB’s statement read in part, “The attention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ably led by our great prophet and liberator of our time, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the plot by Nigerian government and her DSS in Abuja not to produce our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in court on October 21, 2021, the date he is due to appear in court to start his case.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria has again perfected plans not to bring him to court on that day. Their plan is to perpetually keep him behind bars without trial to see if they can demoralise him and Biafrans but they are late.
“If the Federal Government refuses to bring him to court for his next court appearance on October 21, 2021, the entire Biafra land will be on total lockdown for one month. The Federal Government will know that they cannot take us for granted any more.
“Our peaceful disposition as a people should not be misconstrued as weakness. Nigeria cannot incarcerate our leader illegally and expect things to be normal again. If by October 21, Kanu is not brought to court, Nigeria will know that Kanu commands the unflinching loyalty of over 60 million Biafrans home and in Diaspora.
“By keeping our leader out of circulation, his health will be in jeopardy and we won’t allow this. The Nigerian Government must tell us why it will choose to disobey court orders and expect citizens to watch like conquered slaves.
“They are busy granting amnesty to terrorists and bandits killing their soldiers and citizens, but are keeping peaceful agitators in perpetual detention.
“Their plan is to suppress agitation and force everyone into submission but Biafrans won’t succumb to their intimidation. We are a different people.
“Their plan is to silence agitations for freedom as championed by Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Ighoho so that the Fulani from across Africa will overrun Nigeria. They can’t conquer Biafra land as they have conquered Hausa and other indigenous tribes in Nigeria,” Powerful said.
But Ohanaeze informed the group that it was working with Igbo lawmakers in the National Assembly for a political solution to see that their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was released.
“The apex Igbo body told IPOB that Kanu, their leader will not be happy that Ndigbo is being inflicted with hardship.
According to the spokesman of Ohanaeze, Hon. Alex Ogbonnia, “I don’t think the IPOB which Nnamdi Kanu represents, which he epitomises, will like to inflict hardship and injuries on Ndigbo.
“They will be playing into the hands of hoodlums. Even when IPOP suspended their weekly Monday sit-at-home, some hoodlums hijacked it and went on killing, maiming and destroying Igbo property. They will be playing into the hands of the hoodlums.
“They will lose the solidarity and sympathy of the people and the essence of the agitation will become questionable and it will turn out against Kanu and become counter-productive.
“They should take it easy. Ohanaeze and South East Caucus at National Assembly are making sincere efforts to get Kanu released through political solution”.
In its reaction, Igbo elite body, Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), said it doesn’t envisage anything that will stop DSS from producing Kanu in court that day.
“There won’t be any reason not to produce Nnamdi Kanu in Court this time around. After all, the courts have resumed from their annual vacation.
“And so, the idea of shutting down the South-East by IPOB does not arise.
“Let us wait until then before we contemplate what is going to happen”, ADF spokesman, Abia Onyike said.
Efforts to get the reaction from Chairman of the South East Governors Forum, and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, proved abortive at press time last night.