By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Maazị Nnamdi Kanu has declared that the Finland-based self-acclaimed Biafra agitator, Mr. Simon Ekpa, is not and has never been a member of IPOB.
Kanu made the declaration through a stakeholder in the IPOB Family, Mr. Benjamin Madubugwu, who recently visited him at DSS custody in Abuja, in company of Kanu’s lawyer, Barr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor.
Mr. Madubugwu who conveyed the message in a viral video he posted shortly after the visit, said Maazị Kanu was very angry with the rate at which people use his name, the name of IPOB, and the name of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) to oppress, torment, dupe and also defraud some gullible, helpless and innocent citizens.
According to him, Maazị Kanu utterly condemned and the debunked the claim by Mr Simon who claimed that he (Kanu) instructed him to take over from him and continue the struggle for Biafran freedom, if anything happens to him. He said Kanu emphasized that he never discussed any such thing with Ekpa, adding that even if anything had happened to him, that it is the Head of the Directorate of State (HDOS) that will take over the leadership of the struggle, in accordance with the chain of command and hierarchical structure of the IPOB.
He further said that Kanu revealed to him that about 80% of the people detained at the DSS custody are Igbo, with the reason being as a result of the activities of some ‘miscreants’ who commit all manner of atrocities in the south-eastern Nigeria with his name, the name of IPOB and the name of ESN, which, he said, “had also given the security operatives a leverage to arrest and detain innocent Igbo youths and label them one thing or the other, just to prove to their Masters that they are working.” He added that many of the real people who truly commit these atrocities are not being apprehended.
Mr. Madubugwu said “Kanu revealed to me that it’s because of the nonsense such people are committing with his name and the name of IPOB that he is still detained in the DSS custody till date.
“While condemning people who are duping and defrauding people with his name and the name of IPOB also expressed his appointment with some of the real IPOB; Onyendu members who associate with and who have transferred their loyalty to Ekpa and dance to his tune, while he uses them to mess-up the Igbo land and the name of IPOB.
“He said he doesn’t want to curse you people, but he saidI should warn you idiots who do manner of evil things with his name, that if you do not desist from such, thunder will strike all of you.
“My people, Kanu also warned that any group or individual who operates a camp of gunmen, Ụmụọma or whatever in any community in Igbo land or oppress our people who come out to go about their normal businesses is a criminal operating for himself and not for the IPOB or ESN. Such person is not a member of the ESN or IPOB as a should therefore, be treated as a criminal, because we cannot say we’re fighting for freedom of our people and still be tormenting and oppressing the people we are fighting for their freedom. Is that not senselessness?”
According to Madubugwu, who had earlier been detained together with Kanu at Kuje Prison in Lagos between 2015 and the 2018; Kanu also revealed that no Igbo person had hand in his ‘kidnap’ from Kenya; addict adding that it was three countries — Nigeria, Kenya and the UK — that masterminded his ‘kidnap’ from Kenya in 2021; while the private jet with which the flown him down to the Nigeria belongs to.
When contacted for his reaction, the National Vice President of Ọhaneze Ndị Igbo, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene described Kanu’s message as a welcome development, adding that it was good that the condemnation is coming in a time like this when many people who do not mean well for Igbo nation are trying hard to destroy youths and crumble activities in the South-eastern region through sit-at-home enforcement.
“It is good they have started realising that no Igbo man is a party to the arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu and that every Bill Murray by The governor’s or the Ohaneze Ndi Igbo has work assiduously to see that Nnamdi kanu was released. But the unfortunate situation is that those who never mean well for this region are attacking the leadership of Igbo, especially the Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, the governors and the elder statesmen who have been bent in appealing to Buhari, and now Tinubu, to release Nnamdi Kanu.
“It is very unfortunate that you are having a headache and the only drug you want to use to cure the headache is by nodding your head on the ground. It is very very for the unfortunate.
“Many people have died as a result of the activities of these monsters who claim they are fighting for us and are antagonizing everybody. It is good that Nnamdi Kanu is voicing out now. It is also good that those who visited him are voicing out now about their discussions with him, including his lieutenant.
“At least, by this, the traders and other people in Igbo land should be able to understand that Nnamdi Kanu is not responsible for their woes.”
Chief Okeke-Ogene recounted some of the efforts so far made by Igbo elites to secure the release of the IPOB Leader, including the ones made by Late Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, and Governor Chukwuma Soludo, who personally requested former President Muhammadu Buhari to release Kanu to him.
While noting that some of the people who claim to be fighting for Biafran freedom chose not to recognize those efforts, but to continue raining insult and attacks on Igbo leaders; the Ohaneze Ndi Igbo VP expressed optimism that the messages now coming out would make Ndị Igbo understand the truth abou what is happening in Igbo land.
