By Praise Necherem
The Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) on Wednesday threatened total lockdown of the entire Southeast region and other States under Biafra starting from Monday August 9, 2021 if its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was not unconditionally released before then.
It also asked governors, individuals and businessmen it earlier listed as collaborators with the Nigerian government on the abduction and extradition of its leader to Nigeria to pray fervently that his health was not endangered or be ready to face the dire consequences.
In a statement signed by the Head, Directorate of State, Mazi Chika Edoziem, IPOB alleged Nigerian government’s plan to suffer, punish and subject Kanu to media trial and at the same time keep him in detention till October 2021.
The statement read in part, “The Directorate of State of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is very much aware of the strategy of Fulani Government of Nigeria to subject the leader of IPOB world-wide, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to suffering, punishment and to media trial and to convict him in the public before giving that public conviction official stamp of compromised Nigerian judicial system.”
It said, “The global community knows that self determination is not a crime. The Nigerian government equally knows that self determination does not constitute any known offence stipulated in their constitution and therefore do not have any case against the leader of IPOB, Mazi Kanu.
In recognition of the above fact and truth, the Directorate of State of IPOB, demands herewith an unconditional and immediate release of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on or before the 8th day of August 2021, failing which we shall commence a weekly Lockdown of Biafra land starting from 9th August, 2021”, the statement read.
The statement further said, “For the avoidance of doubt this total lockdown of Biafra land will take place every Monday until our leader is released unconditionally. This weekly lockdown is simply one of the measures we shall put in place to ensure that our leader is released hale and hearty.
Continuing, the outlawed group threatened, “To all the Governors, business men in Biafra land and all those who are complicit in the abduction of our leader from Kenya to Nigeria, those of you who contributed money to enable the Nigerian government to kidnap our leader, pray fervently that his health is not endangered and nothing untoward happens to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, because then the land of Biafra shall not accommodate you and the Biafra people.
We affirm our readiness to do all that is necessary to secure the immediate release of our leader. It is completely unacceptable to IPOB to allow our leader to remain in the hands of the enemy up till October 2021″, it concluded.