THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has threatened to declare a month-long lockdown in the South-East if its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is not produced in his next court appearance slated for October 21, 2021.
IPOB Spokesperson Emma Powerful said this in a statement issued to journalists on Wednesday.
He alleged that the Federal Government had perfected plans to keep Kanu perpetually in court by not bringing him to court to continue his trial.
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The group warned that its peaceful disposition should not be misconstrued as a weakness by the Nigerian government.
“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 Nigeria government and her DSS in Abuja not to produce our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to court on 21st October 2021, the date he is due to appear in court to start his case,” he said.
“The federal government of Nigeria has again perfected plans not to bring him to court on that day. Their wicked 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 in his next court appearance on October 21, 2021, the entire Biafra land will be on total lock down 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.”
IPOB said Kanu’s perpetual incarceration without trial had worsened his health.
Kanu was rearrested and brought back to Nigeria in June four years after his trial on charges of treasonable felony.
Trial Judge Binta Nyako had, on June 29, ordered Kanu to remain in SSS custody.
But in July, the court could not continue the trial after the SSS refused to produce him court because of ‘logistical” issues.’
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