Leader of Indigeno us People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has accused the Nigerian Army of an attempt to kill him over his resolve not to abandon the agitation for the actualisation of a state of Biafra.
Speaking with Daily Sun, on telephone, against the backdrop of an alleged invasion of his home at Afara Ukwu, Umuahia, where one person was allegedly killed and scores injured, when soldiers, who arrived the IPOB leader’s home at about 6.30pm, yesterday, shot sporadically, said the soldiers’ sole aim was to kill him.
Narrating the incident, Kanu said he was resting, at about 6.30pm, yesterday, when one of his relatives drew his attention to heavy presence of soldiers at the main entrance to his family home.
He said before anyone could know what was happening; the soldiers started shooting sporadically and, in the process, wounded so many people within the vicinity.
He described the incident as “crude show of power on innocent and defenceless people of Biafra,” but called on members “to remain calm.”
Meanwhile, Kanu’s younger brother Emmanuel, has said any attempt to kill his elder brother will spell doom for the country.
Reacting to alleged soldiers’ invasion of their home in Umuahia, Emmanuel reiterated their father’s call on the United Nations to investigate an alleged plot to eliminate the IPOB leader which he said would however not stop actualisation of Biafra.
When contacted, Assistant Director Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, Ohafia, Major Gbadamosi Oyegoke said soldiers went to Afara Ukwu, the IPOB leader’s home town on normal patrol.
Major Oyegoke explained that, on getting to the road leading to the IPOB leader’s home, his members blocked soldiers from passing through and denied “shooting at anybody or killing anybody.”
The attention of 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, has been drawn to fictitious news going round, especially on social media, that troops have invaded the home of Nnamdi Kanu and killed 3 persons.
This is far from the truth. Rather, it was a group of suspected IPOB militants who blocked the road against troops of 145 Battalion while on show of force, along FMC-Word Bank Road in Umuahia town, Abia State at about 6.00-6.30pm, today (yesterday).
