Anambra State government has advised the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to restrain his followers from attacking Anambra politicians.
This is coming on the heels of an attack launched on the State governor, Chief Willie Obiano by members on the group on Sunday at Ekwulobia, Aguata council area of the state.
Obiano, who was attending a holy mass at St Joseph Catholic Church was reportedly attacked by youths dressed in IPOB vests.
Members of the group had also attacked a governorship candidate, Chief Godwin Ezeemo in Ihiala at the weekend, disrupting activities at his father in-laws burial ceremony with chants of ‘no election in Anambra’.
A release signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. James Eze cautioned that unless decisive action was taken by the leadership of IPOB, its growing popularity will soon suffer a setback.
Eze said the only possible explanation for the action of the youths on Sunday may have been the presence of Governor Willie Obiano who had arrived the church to celebrate with the Catholic Youths of the parish who were marking their 2017 Youth Day.
The release said that such unwarranted attack on the number one citizen of the state was bad for the image of the group.
Eze added that despite the interferences, Governor Obiano later addressed the congregation, urging the youths to dedicate their lives to Christ especially at this moment in the nation’s history which placed undue pressure on young people.
It added that the Governor further reassured the people that the coming gubernatorial election would hold as scheduled and urged everyone to strive to maintain the peace that Anambra was known for.
Meanwhile, IPOB has disowned the youths who attacked Obiano on Sunday, saying they were not its members.
Comrade Emma Powerful, the group’s media and publicity secretary in a press release denied the youths, saying that they may be fake IPOB members hired by politicians in the hope of labeling the group as violent.
He advised members of the public to be in the lookout for such elements being used to drag its name to the mud.
